High Heels and Dirty Deals
by Lena and Liz
Summary: Ride or die. Those are the only two options at the end of this story. Happy/OC. Re-vamp from original 2009 posting. Rated M for strong language, violence, and adult situations.
1. Collide

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **Hey guys! So the fanfic website took our story down because apparently the summary was inappropriate. We are still very angry about that, but it has given us some motivation to continue with the revamp we've been slacking on. Therefore we're going to be re-posting the story as we revamp it. Longtime readers will recognize most of it, but there will be a few changes and maybe even some new scenes, so it's still worth the re-read.

For new readers, hi. This story is Happy/OC with Juice/OC friendship. There is a lot of time passing throughout the story (over 2 years), so please keep an eye on the dates. If you don't want spoilers, avoid reading the one shots we've posted as those mostly take place after this story. Updates will be every Sunday hopefully, since the story is already complete and just needs a bit of revamp. Thanks for reading and enjoy the story!

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
Chapter 1: Collide  
**"_I'm quiet you know.  
You make a first impression.  
I've found I'm scared to know,  
I'm always on your mind."  
- _"Collide" by Howie Day

_It all started one fine day in Queens, New York, when seven year old Ana Maria Navaro came home from school to find boxes outside of the apartment down the hall from her own. She soon learned that she had new neighbors, including eight year old Jean Carlos Ortiz. They met at the bus stop the next morning before school, and from that day forward, they would be inseparable._

_The two made their way quietly through public school, avoiding local gang scrimmages as much as possible. They both had the same thing in mind: survive high school, go to college, and get a job that paid enough to move to a_ _better part of the city. Juice, as he was dubbed in sixth grade, quickly realized that he had a knack for technology. While he didn't seem like the smartest tool in the shed, Juice knew anything and everything about computers. From a young age, he was hacking into government databases and medical files, earning disapproving lectures from his best friend. She never encouraged his illegal habits, but was glad that he __had__ found something he was good at doing._

_"I want to get out of here," she said to Juice one evening, as they sat on the roof of their apartment building eating from a carton of Chinese take-out. It had been a particularly gruesome day for the pair. A gun fight had broken out at school between two of the feuding gangs, and Juice had nearly been shot as they tried to get away from the bullets flying in every direction. It had been the third altercation of the year, and they still had four months until graduation. "I'm tired of all the shit in this city. I want to go somewhere nice and quiet and live happily ever after. No more gang wars and drug dealers."_

_Juice passed her the container of food and leaned back on his elbows, looking up at the clear sky. "So let's go." She looked at him skeptically, raising an_ _eyebrow. "I'm serious. As soon as we're done with high school, we should pack our shit and haul ass out of this place. We'll just drive until we find somewhere we like."_

_She watched him, trying to see if he was going to start laughing and tell her that he was only joking, that they were stuck here for the rest of their pathetic lives. When he didn't say anything after a few seconds, she frowned at him. "You're for real?" He nodded confidently, but she shook her head incredulously, the logical side of her brain pushing itself to the forefront. "That's crazy, Juice. Where would we go?"_

_"Anywhere. Everywhere. It doesn't matter. We'll throw a dart at a map."_

_"We can't afford a map. That requires money, which we have very little of."_

_"So we'll pick up some extra work between now and then, save up. I've got a bit stashed away. We can do it."_

_"What about our families?"_

_"W__hat about them?" Juice scoffed and threw his hands in the air. "Fuck them. It's their fault we're in this place to begin with. Like they'd even care that we left." Maria shook her head and laughed lightly, before standing up and grabbing their trash from the ground. "Where are you going? Maria, we can do it. We need_ _to do it." _

_She ignored his pleas and walked to the door that led back into the building. "I'll see you in the morning, Juice."_

_For the next two months, Juice_ _hassled her about leaving. He had managed to save over three grand, trying to show her that, if they left, they_ _could make it work. She continued to shoot his idea down, her rational mind stating that it was entirely impossible for them to just up and leave with no destination in mind and no means of living once they got somewhere. _

_But it was a Tuesday in April that changed_ _Maria's opinion_ _on the subject. She walked into the apartment building after a long day at school, grabbing the mail from her family's box as she headed up the stairs to the second floor. She absentmindedly searched through the stack_ _as she climbed, pausing outside her door when her fingers reached the envelope that she had been waiting to receive for months. She quickly dropped her stuff into the small kitchen, yelling to her mother that she was going out, and then ran up to the roof as fast as she could. She sat down and held the envelope in front of her face, examining the return address on the top left corner_ _that stated the letter was from CorpTrust, a private company that offered scholarships to kids in need. In August, Juice had convinced her to apply to the American Academy of Art in New York. She told him it was useless for her to apply. The school only accepted a hundred students a year and there was no way she __was __going to get in. Even if she did, she couldn't afford the twenty thousand dollar tuition that the school required each year. Juice did some research and found a full tuition scholarship for art students, a find that made Maria ecstatic. She applied for both the Academy and the scholarship and could only hope that she would get_ _both. She received a letter of acceptance from the school in March, congratulating her on her work so far and promising to help her achieve great successes in the future. _

_And now this letter in her quivering_ _hands would determine whether or not she attended the Academy. She took a deep breath and carefully opened the envelope, pulling the contents out slowly. Unfolding the single sheet of paper, she braced herself for the news she was about to receive. Her eyes skipped over the formal headings and greeting, landing straight on the sentence that would change her life._

"We regret to inform you that you will not be receiving the full tuition scholarship..._" _

_The letter continued on with their sincerest apologies, alternate sources of educational funding, and a reminder to try again the following year, but she read none of it. Letting the paper fall from her hands, she took in shaky breaths and tried to decide_ _what to do next. She would have to reject her placement at the school, as she could see no way to afford it without the financial aid._

_So lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear the roof door open and close. "There you are." She turned her head sharply, her watery eyes landing on the form of her best friend. "What's wrong?" Juice_ _closed the distance between them and knelt down beside her. She could do nothing but hand him the fallen letter, the tears now leaving her eyes and trailing down her face. "Oh shit. I'm so sorry." He wrapped his arms around her, not knowing what to say to make her feel better. _

_After a few minutes, she picked her head up from his shoulder. "So, where are we going?" she asked, sniffling softly while she tried to calm herself._

_He looked at her oddly for a second, then realization dawned on him. He smiled widely and asked, "Really?" She laughed at his excitement, then nodded. "I thought you said we couldn't do it." He cut her off before she could reply. "Nevermind. We can go wherever you want to go."_

_So they packed up their stuff, and the day after graduation, they put their boxes and Juice's motorcycle in the bed of Maria's old pickup truck and they left. They drove west to Pittsburgh, but found it was very much like the city they had just vacated. They moved on to Indianapolis, then Saint Paul, and then some small town in Nebraska. A month later found them in Salt Lake City, then Boise, then Portland. It was when they arrived in Tacoma, Washington five months into their travels that they finally found a place they liked. It was big, but not as big as the other cities they had visited. It was old, a bit rustic, and had wonderful scenery, all of which were very appealing to the pair. _

_Most importantly, it was quiet. _

* * *

_**November 24, 2000**_

"Can I get you guys anything else?"

The elderly couple at the table smiled up at the young Hispanic girl who had just delivered their plates. "No thank you, dear," the woman said politely.

Maria nodded and turned back towards the counter, nearly colliding with another waitress carrying a tray full of food. "Oh, sorry!" The other waitress merely glared at her and continued down the line of tables. "Bitch," Maria mumbled to herself as she walked behind the counter, only to lean against it in exhaustion.

It had been a busy Friday night in the diner, filled with teenagers on dates and families that came in weekly. The crowd had finally died down a bit, allowing Maria to take a minute to catch her breath. She laughed to herself as she thought of the situation she was in currently. Two thousand miles from home, on the opposite side of the country, hoping the new location would bring better opportunities, and here she was, working odd shifts at a diner to pay her way through community college.

"Maria, order up!" The dark-haired girl sighed and stood from her slouched position against the counter. She picked up the final plate of the evening and placed it in front of one of her favorite regulars, Ted. He was a short man with graying hair and kind eyes, the type who, thirty years ago, she would have loved to take home to her parents.

"Thanks, Maria," he said with a large smile, as she placed his usual bottle of ketchup next to his plate. He was one of the only single men to come through the door that didn't try to openly flirt with her, and for that she was grateful. He wasn't a high-maintenance customer and left her large tips most of the time, so she never minded spending a few minutes talking with him.

Her shift was almost over, and she was more than ready to take off the apron, go home, and sink into a relaxing bubble bath. Since the day she and Juice had left Queens, this was the first steady, long-term job she managed to hold. True, it was not a spectacular job – the hours were terrible, and by the end of the day, she was dead on her feet and tired beyond belief - but it was necessary. She was happy in Tacoma and was very glad that they were hanging around, at least for the time being. She'd stick with this job as long as she could.

After the last of her customers trickled out of the diner, she wasted no time cleaning up and collecting all her things. It was nearing eleven thirty, and she was ready to get out of the diner and into the comfort of her own apartment. She was especially tired tonight. It looked like her bath would be postponed in favor of getting as much sleep as she could before she had to wake up for school in the early hours of the morning.

Buttoning up her coat and taking her bag from the counter, Maria made her way to the door. She stopped to look at the empty diner one last time, making sure she hadn't forgotten anything, then shut the lights off and stepped out into the cold night.

Locking the door, she was startled by the sounds of a scuffle coming from across the street. The noise stood out on the usually dark and quiet street. Standing on the corner across from the diner was a group of rough looking men. She instantly recognized the leather vests they wore, connecting them to an outlaw biker club known as the Sons of Anarchy. Maria had seen some of this group in the time her and Juice had been here, but she was now getting her first glimpse of the danger everyone talked about.

As one of the men moved slightly to the side, she noticed a huddled figure in the middle of the group. She had seen him a few times around this side of town, but had never met him. She wasn't sure she wanted to meet a man that associated with criminals. He was probably a criminal himself. She just hoped that neither he nor the scary bikers would see her.

* * *

Happy was angry, more so than usual. The Vice President of the Sons of Anarchy's Tacoma charter was a man that many feared. But along with that fear, they respected him and were constantly striving to be on his good side – something that didn't happen easily. If the Sons wanted something, you gave it to them. If they needed something, you did everything you could to help them. If you lied to them, you suffered severe consequences. Said consequences almost always came with an angry Vice President holding a gun to your head or a knife at your throat. Tonight was no different.

As Happy considered the man cowering at his feet, he could easily see a resemblance between him and a cat. A scared cat that had no claws. He mentally rolled his eyes at the man's pathetic behavior. He should just shoot him and be done with it. But no, the Boss wanted to give the little rat another chance.

John Donovan was an older man with a balding head of white hair and a beer belly. He was a man that you expected to be seated at home, watching a football game with a beer in his hand or getting off on sleazy porn while his wife slept in the next room. He was not a successful man, nor did he have any great accomplishments to boast about. He led a pathetic life - he wasn't one to delude himself by thinking otherwise. But one thing was for sure, a stupid man he was not. He knew nothing good came from giving the Sons false information. But with the promise of large amounts of money, he had given a key piece of data to a rival gang and bogus nonsense to the Sons. Of course, when the Sons had gone to the wrong warehouse and not found a shipment of guns, the signs pointed straight at him.

And, of course, they sent his least favorite person to handle the job. So he was here now, kissing ass and praying to God the bikers would either give him a second shot at living or kill him quickly.

He felt Happy's knife press deeper into his throat – deep enough to scare him, but not to draw blood. "You want to live, don't you, John?" The chilling whisper that reached his ear scared him more than the blade at his neck. A contemplative sigh came from Happy. "Of course you do..." The steady hand holding the knife released the pressure a bit and the cold steel made its way across his throat. "You wouldn't be lying to me again ... would you?"

"I-I swear, Happy. I'm not lying this time! I j-just panicked, messed up the facts! P-Please, it's the truth, I promise!" The plea fell on deaf ears as Happy pressed the knife once again to John's throat and looked closely at the stuttering man.

"If you're lying to me, I won't be as forgiving when we find you again. And we will find you." The menacing growl came as a warning. All the men knew Happy wasn't kidding – he never was. The next wrong choice John made would be his last. Pressing on the knife again, this time drawing blood, Happy made sure his message was clear. Everyone there knew that his threats weren't empty. John Donovan would sleep with both eyes open for a long time to come.

With one last look of disgust at the scared man, Happy pulled his knife back and made his way to his bike. He threw one leg over the bike and turned around.

"Don't go and skip town on us, John. We'll come to visit if what you said doesn't check out."

With that said, Happy started his bike, ready to take off. The other members of the charter revved up their rides. They were all more than ready to go to the clubhouse, have a cold beer, and find a few sweetbutts to warm their beds. The Vice President was glad for the end of the night – he too wanted to follow his fellow club members' example. That is, until he lifted his head up, and his eyes connected with two large brown orbs across the street. He cursed under his breath without even realizing it.

"Shit."

* * *

"Shit."

That was the only thing that came out of Maria's mouth. Her mind was whirling with the things that she had seen from her position over the past few minutes. She didn't hear much, but what she managed to pick up, coupled with the images of the knife, the pleading man, and the bikers, scared her out of her mind.

Ana Maria Navaro was many things, but brave wasn't one of them. She was smart, realistic, and rational. However, at this moment in time, all thought had flown out the window. An intelligent person would have run away five minutes ago. She just couldn't take her eyes off of the scene as it unfolded in front of her. Now that it was over, she tried to convince her legs to move. She reasoned with herself that she hadn't seen any actual crime, so they wouldn't want to kill her. But the part in the movies where the girl gets kidnapped when she's all alone on the streets popped into her mind.

The movie never ended well for that girl. Maria did not want to _be_ that girl.

She was startled by the group of bikes coming to life, and then by the pair of cold, dark eyes that met hers across the street. Looking away from him, she pretended not to have noticed anyone else and started walking down the parking lot to her car. If she was lucky, she could get there peacefully, run home to Carlos, pack their things, and be out of Tacoma before this group of thugs could find her again. She heard a few bikes speed past her and expelled a breath, counting the steps that took her closer to the safe haven of her car. She was almost there, could almost touch the car.

There was a loud screech in front of her, the rumbling sound of a Harley filling her ears. The man perched on top of the machine was the same one who had looked at her moments ago. Except now, the only thing that separated them was a small patch of grass. He was much bigger than she thought, with tan skin and a shaved head. He looked much more intimidating up close.

That was it, she was done for.

Maria took a small step back. Maybe she could outrun him if she could catch him off guard. The biker stared her down, eyes narrowed and a scowl permanently set on his face. From his expression, she could tell that if she tried to run, he would catch her and painfully end her life.

"You didn't see or hear anything. Did you, sweetheart?"

His voice was deep and raspy, only adding to her fear. If she wasn't so scared right now, she would probably be thinking about how that voice sounded after, or during, sex. She vehemently shook her head no, without actually processing his question at first. When she realized what he was asking, she shook her head more firmly and looked at him again.

"Good. Let's keep it that way."

And then he sped away with another screech, leaving her, heart beating wildly in her ribcage, to thank her lucky stars that she hadn't been viciously murdered.

* * *

**Authors' Note 2: **We would just like to point out that this story was originally written and posted in November of 2009, meaning that the show was only half-way through the second season. So some of the specifics and details about Hap might be a little bit different. We will try to change some of them during the re-vamp, but if it has some significance in our story, obviously it will just have to be considered an AU fact (i.e. Hap being VP in Tacoma).

We are also in the market for a beta reader, so if anyone with experience in writing Happy would like the job, shoot us a message.


	2. First Time

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **A big thank you to everyone who reviewed and to those who read, but didn't review. We appreciate it either way. Not a ton of Happy in this chapter, but he will show up full force in the next one, which will hopefully be posted Sunday. These chapters do get progressively longer once things actually start happening, by the way.

And if you've read the story before and already know how everything goes down, leave us any suggestions for changes or additions that you might like to see. Think of this like the director's cut or extended edition of the story.

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
Chapter 2: First Time  
**"_Looking at you, holding my breath.  
For once in my life, I'm scared to death."  
_-"First Time" by Lifehouse

_**November 27, 2000**_

Maria sang along with the radio as she parked her truck in front of the diner. Her classes for the day had ended an hour ago, and she had just enough time to grab a snack before getting ready for work.

The weekend had been pretty uneventful, but after the horrific Friday night she'd had, Maria couldn't have been happier. She tossed and turned in bed until the early hours of the morning, trying to rid herself of the thought that she had been followed home or something even worse. She awoke the next morning feeling even more exhausted than the night before. As much as she would have loved to catch up on her sleep on the weekends like everyone else did, she just couldn't afford to miss any work. Luckily for her, the diner wasn't too busy during the early shift. She spent most of the weekend at the diner, waiting tables and catching up on her school assignments when she had free time.

Picking up her purse, she locked the vehicle and made the trek from the parking lot to the diner. The bells on the door chimed merrily as she entered, the warm air assaulting her senses and making her smile. The chilling wind outside was starting to get to Maria, as it whipped her raven locks everywhere and froze her very insides. She was thankful for her bronze complexion, which hid the slight pink tinge on her cheeks and nose. The increasing cold pointed towards a particularly harsh winter - one thing Maria hated about the north.

Unbuttoning her coat, she made her way to the counter, greeting Elaine and Beth, the other employees working the evening shift. Elaine was a wonderful older woman with gray hair, loving brown eyes, and a slightly round frame. She was as skilled and strict in the kitchen as her personality was warm and welcoming. Her mothering nature and the way she fussed over everyone and everything made Maria very attached to her. While she was growing up, Maria missed the affection a mother bestowed upon her child. Now, she relished in the fact that someone wanted to take care of her – asking if she ate properly, how her studies were going, and what she was planning for her future.

"Good afternoon, dear," the cook said, smiling at the younger woman. "You look happy today."

She was also a very observant woman. Nothing went past Elaine, and she couldn't be lied to, so there were no secrets with her. When Maria had gone into work on Saturday, she had been bombarded with questions before she even managed to get through the door. Had something happened? Was she well? Did she not get enough sleep? Maybe she should go and see a doctor – she looked ill. So that day, with a sick feeling in her gut, Maria had lied to the only person that she could rely on besides Juice. She said she had spent the night studying and catching up on school work because she had multiple tests coming up next week. Elaine didn't believe her completely, that could be told by the look on her face, but she let the issue go when Maria insisted everything was fine.

"Maybe she and that fine man that she lives with finally did the dirty!" Beth chimed from behind the counter with a grin.

Beth was a spunky, carefree sixteen year old. She had just gotten her license, but her parents didn't have the money to buy her a car. So Beth took matters into her own hands. A few weeks ago, she had entered the diner and, with a huge smile on her face, asked for a job. Out of the other waitresses, Maria enjoyed working with her the most. Being young herself, she could relate to Beth, and on the days that their shifts coincided, they didn't actually work – they had fun.

It could be said that the Puerto Rican woman had _too_ much fun when Juice came by on those days. She loved to watch him squirm under the flirtatious gaze of the blonde, falling over himself to be out of her way and avoid the groping he would get should Beth get too close. As determined as she was stubborn, Beth had it in her mind that she was going to get a piece of Juice.

"Oh come off it, young lady! That is no way for a sixteen year old to speak," Elaine scolded the teenager. "Maybe she got an A on a test."

"I did actually." Maria smiled affectionately at the cook and then at Beth. "And don't worry, Juice and I are still just friends. He's all yours."

"Ooh, I'll get him next time he comes. I even have a plan!" Beth replied, a devilish spark in her eyes. When Maria sent her a questioning look, her grin broadened. "I'm going to trap him when he goes to the bathroom and have my way with him!" Maria and Beth laughed, very entertained by the idea. Elaine didn't seem amused.

"Mind your tongue, child, and get back to work!" Although the reply was stern, Maria could swear there was a smile on her face.

The afternoon passed in a flurry of activity, with Beth and Maria joking around and Elaine trying to keep them in line. The best part of the evening was when Juice stepped through the door. Upon seeing him, Maria, who was just taking a drink of water, was unable to prevent her laughter, resulting in her spitting the water out and all over Ted. He was unfortunate enough to be sitting at the counter right in front of her. Maria was mortified for a moment, but that was short lived. She was grateful that there weren't many customers in the diner at that time, that she didn't choke on the water, and that, lucky for her, Ted had a sense of humor.

After she handed Ted some extra napkins, Maria hurried a confused Juice to a table, scooting past an occupied Beth, and went to get him a cup of coffee. The moment she came back with his drink, it was snatched from her hands and cradled in both of his. She raised an inquiring eyebrow at him, but he just shook his head, before taking a sip from his hot coffee.

"Do you know how long the walk from downtown to this place is? I almost froze on the way here. It's fuckin' cold outside!"

Her expression quickly turned from questioning to confused. "You walked here? Is something wrong with your bike?"

"I left it in the garage. Spent my gas money on dinner last night." Maria looked at him sympathetically, knowing it was hard for him to give up riding his bike for other, more necessary needs.

"I get my paycheck soon. We'll figure something out." She heard the kitchen bell ring, signaling an order was ready. "I'll bring you something to eat soon. I gotta get back to work."

Half an hour later found Maria alternating between serving families and cleaning recently vacated tables. Since Juice had arrived, the customers hadn't stopped flowing in. It was like every person in Tacoma had decided to go and eat at the diner. She didn't stop for more than a few seconds - to refill someone's cup, give Elaine another order, or drop food off at a table. The place was full of chatter and laughter, the scraping of forks on plates occasionally breaking through the noise.

So engrossed in her work, Maria missed the roar of the bikes approaching from down the road, and she didn't hear the tinkling chime of the bells above the door. She did, however, notice the temporary lull in the conversations around her. She caught the sound of heavy footsteps on the diner floor, and turning around, her eyes fell on the group of bikers that were just coming in. When her brain was able to catch up on what was happening around her, Maria froze, nearly dropping the dirty plates she was holding.

Turning around quickly, she made her way past a smiling Beth and, telling her to take the biker's table, she went into the kitchen. Putting the plates in the sink, Maria leaned against the counter and took in a deep breath. They weren't here for her, they couldn't be. After all, she hadn't seen anything. She hadn't told anyone about that night either, not even Juice.

"Are you okay, dear?"

The question startled her, as in her panic she had forgotten that Elaine would be in the small kitchen. The older woman peered at Maria's ashen face, her eyes kind and filled with worry.

"Y-yes, I'm fine." She steeled her voice, trying to prevent it from shaking and gripped the sink harder to steady herself. "I just needed a second. It's crazy out there." She pointed to the general area of the diner, hoping Elaine would believe her.

"Well, the rush seems to be just about over." Elaine went to the stove and pulled out a freshly baked cake. She cut a slice quickly and put it on a plate. "Here, take this to your friend. He hasn't tried this one yet, and you know it's my specialty."

Maria took the cake from Elaine's hands and gave her a reassuring smile. She went over to the kitchen door and, with another deep breath, braved the few steps that would take her right into the outlaws' awaiting hands.

She started the walk to Juice's table, noticing that Beth had put the Sons of Anarchy nearby. Thanking her lucky stars that they didn't seem the least bit interested in her as she passed them, she calmed down. This was a diner after all; maybe they were just here to eat. And besides, the only one that had seen her was currently in a lively conversation with one of his friends.

She placed the cake in front of Juice and sat herself across from him, hoping to get a few moments to talk. Peering past him, Maria quickly glanced over to the group of bikers. There were five men in total, including the one that scared her on that fateful Friday night. He was talking to a blonde man with shaggy hair, who was waving his large hands around wildly. The third of their group, a smaller bald guy, was laughing loudly at whatever was being said. The last two bikers, one young and skinny, the other a pretty boy with a cigarette in his mouth, were happily invested in a conversation of their own. As Beth went to serve them, Maria averted her eyes; the last thing she wanted was to be caught staring.

"That's Elaine's secret recipe," she told Juice as he devoured half of the slice in one bite.

"This is delicious," he managed to mumble around his food. After he chewed and swallowed, he turned serious and leaned closer to her. "So I was thinking. I mean, I know you don't like it and all, but..." He leaned as close as he could and lowered his voice. "I was thinking I could hack into a few-"

"Jean Carlos Ortiz! What have I told you about that?" The accusatory tone of her voice didn't escape him, nor did it escape some of the nearby patrons, namely the motorcycle club seated not far from their table. "You know that's illegal! Remember what happened last time?" She looked around and lowered her voice. "I don't want a repeat of that, Juice."

He took in her expression and cursed himself. "I know, Maria, but it won't be like last time, I swear." Her doubtful look had him backtracking. "It'll be a one time thing. You know we need the money."

"Yeah, well there are other ways to get money! _Legal _ways." Maria stared at him incredulously, not believing that Juice would try to convince her to resort to stealing when he knew she hated it.

"Like what? I don't want to spend my life working for minimum wage in a shit job and living paycheck to paycheck." He scoffed, shaking his head and sighing as he looked at her. "I can't do that. We need to think of something."

She smiled softly at him and replied, "I know, Carlos."

Juice heaved out a long sigh and looked at her again. "We'll think of another way to get some cash. Maybe we can win the lottery!" He tried to lighten up the mood, reveling in his success when she grinned.

"You have to actually play the lottery in order to win it, Juice!" She joked with him, knowing his hacking urge was satiated for the time being. "Besides, you're the most unlucky man I know. No way would _you _win anything!" He mock-glared at her, feeling relieved. Maria sighed, getting ready to go back to work. She squeezed his hand and then picked up the empty cake plate.

"Just... just don't do anything stupid, okay?" She threw him another worried look and got up from the table; she had customers to serve, tables to clean and a paycheck to earn. Maria just hoped that this all went well. She didn't like the thought of having to visit him in some jail or being thrown in one herself. That wasn't appealing to her at the moment, nor would it ever be.

So lost in their own troubles, Juice and Maria didn't notice the bikers at the nearby table sending each other curious looks. They would look into this kid. Maybe he would do them a favor.

* * *

"Gimme your keys," Juice demanded as he waited impatiently for Maria to lock the door to the diner. Her shift had ended uneventfully as the clock struck eleven. She cleaned quickly, and they were out the door fifteen minutes later.

"Why in the world would I let _you _drive _my _truck?" The pair started their journey across the parking lot towards the dark blue Ford that was in need of a new paint job. It was the only vehicle she could afford while she was working in Chicago, but it had gotten them all the way to Tacoma with no problems and it was still going strong. The air conditioner didn't work most days, but that wasn't a necessity with the cool climate in Washington.

Juice grunted and rolled his eyes, slowing his pace for Maria's sake. "I'm driving because-" he yanked the keys out of her unsuspecting hands, "-I'm older, and therefore in charge. And I want to drive."

Maria smiled as she arrived at the passenger side of the truck, waiting for Juice to get in and unlock her door. "You're only older by a few months, jerk." She looked around the lot, her eyes landing on a single motorcycle sitting in a shadowy parking spot. Assuming it was Juice's beloved machine, she turned to him and asked, "Are you just going to leave your..." She trailed off, recalling his earlier statement about how long it took him to walk from the school to her work. She gasped, realizing too late that the bike probably belonged to one of the bikers that was at the diner earlier. The same bikers that she had watched hassle a guy into giving them information just a few nights before. "Oh shit!" was all of the warning she could get out before a large shadow appeared behind Juice. Her eyes wide with fright, she opened her mouth to scream, but one glare from the same eyes that had intimidated her into silence before made her snap her jaw shut.

Juice turned around quickly, his eyes growing large at the sight of the fierce biker. "Y-you can take whatever you want, man," he stuttered quickly, holding up his hands in surrender. "You want my wallet?"

The taller man's face remained hard and impassive, his cold eyes stuck to Juice in a harsh glare. "I don't want your stuff." The raspy sound startled both of the teenagers, the rumble chilling them straight to the bone. Maria shuffled her feet nervously, the gravel in the lot crunching loudly as she shifted her weigh. The dark eyes rapidly moved to stare her down, making horrible thoughts run rampant through Juice's head. He turned his head to the girl behind him, trying to signal to Maria that she should run. The rough voice made him snap his attention back to the front. "I don't want your girlfriend either, kid. Relax." The man placed a hand on top of the truck, looming over Juice with a sick expression of amusement. "I hear you're a hacker."

Juice looked around nervously and swallowed, not expecting anything other than a typical mugging. "Wh-what? I don't know what you're talking about. Where'd you hear that?"

The outlaw's face quickly clouded with frustration and anger. It was obvious that he hated people who didn't tell him the truth. Maria silently pleaded with Juice to not upset this guy. She had seen exactly what happened to people who lied to him.

Happy grabbed the back of Juice's neck and yanked the younger man forward. "I heard it from your big mouth earlier today. Wouldn't be surprised if the whole Goddamned restaurant heard you two arguing about your illegal habits." Juice at least had the decency to look embarrassed at being so easily overheard. "Let's talk."


	3. Strange New Place

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **Thanks to the few of you that have reviewed. We know many of you have read it before, so it's nothing new yet, but we do appreciate the feedback as we always continue to make changes to the story based on what you guys think. A bunch of the OC Tacoma charter is introduced in this chapter, so if you would like to see the actors we use as visual reference for them, there is a link in our profile.

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
Chapter 3: Strange New Place  
**"_I'm going to go.  
Please don't leave me all alone.  
'Cause in this strange new place,  
everybody finds a home."  
-_"Strange New Place" by Moses Mayfield

_**December 19th, 2000**_

Ever since she was little, Maria had tried her best to avoid awkward situations. She steered away from things she didn't know and went to familiar, comfortable places where she could blend in.

And here she was now in a clubhouse, surrounded by bikers and sticking out like a sore thumb.

This was the last place that she wanted to be at, but Juice had roped her into it. That horrible night at the diner was the reason she was here, nervous and fidgeting like a school kid in the principal's office.

As scared as he was then, Juice couldn't imagine refusing the biker, so he obediently followed him away from the truck. The next day, he was hacking again, complying with every command the club gave him in order to prove himself worthy. He got comfortable with the outlaws, started to feel at home in the clubhouse, and constantly tried to make Maria visit him. He even talked to her about prospecting with the Sons of Anarchy, his desire to be an official part of the group fueled by a current prospect and the fragile friendship he had going on with the club's Vice President.

Maria managed to dodge his pleas for her to give the club a chance. She found all kinds of excuses and means of escape, going as far as feigning illness and taking extra shifts at work. But she couldn't say no to him forever, and so she found herself standing in front of Tacoma Auto, and from there entering the Sons' clubhouse.

When they got there, Juice was as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. He dragged her around the place so fast that it made her head spin. The way he was doing things, she didn't have time to pay close attention to the people she was introduced to. All of the bikers looked the same to Maria: huge, heavily tattooed, and scary as hell. She was never good with names, so she was thankful that some of them wore work shirts with name tags. That way she could go over them again once she got a chance to breathe. When Juice's frantic tour was over, he told her to sit while he talked business. Before Maria could say anything, he was deep in conversation with a bear of a man, and she was left to look around aimlessly.

The main part of the clubhouse was a single, spacious room. To one side was a bar, at which she was currently seated. Beer bottles littered the room, and the air was thick with cigarette smoke, making it hard for her to breathe. There were a couple of old metal tables spread about, a biker on his cellphone seated at one. A tattered leather couch and a couple of armchairs surrounded a wooden table with magazines scattered on top.

A pool table, worn from use, blocked a set of wooden doors from the rest of the room, but Maria didn't know where they led. On his tour, Juice didn't go anywhere near them and neither did the other occupants of the room. Maria imagined that they were locked, off limits to anyone outside of the club. She would even go as far as to guess that the rumored illegal activities were planned behind those closed doors.

A long corridor was to the left, and she was told that the bathroom and the rooms of some of the members were located there. If Carlos became a prospect, he would probably come to live in one of the rooms, and she would have the apartment all to herself, an idea she wasn't sure she liked very much. She guessed she could come to the clubhouse to see him if he moved in. Besides, the biker hangout wasn't nearly as bad as she had expected.

All in all, it was an inconspicuous room used by a bunch of motorcycle enthusiasts to hang out and relax after a tiring day. The only thing that remotely drew her attention and suggested of some illegal activity being done was a big wall near the entrance. It was full of photos, but not the kind of photos you would see in a family home. There were no Christmas portraits or pictures of little kids running around and playing games. The pictures weren't even of naked women riding motorcycles, which she had seen in various other places on her walk through the property. Instead, the wall was full of mugshots of all the bikers, one with a black eye, another with a split lip and a bloody nose. Some of the Sons even had more than one picture up on their 'wall of fame'. She didn't know what they had done, but she prayed she never had to see one of Carlos being hung on the wall.

Maria was brought back from her thoughts by a large hand landing on her shoulder. She jumped, her own hand flying to her heart. When she spun to the left, she was met by a man grinning in amusement.

"Easy there, kid." He chuckled and she gave him a strained smile.

"You just startled me is all."

"You want a beer?" He held one out to her, and she looked at him more closely before she even considered taking the bottle. He was massive, with a huge neck and large arms. His form was made even bigger by the work shirt he wore, which was a little tight across his chest. The name-tag on the shirt read 'Mack', which she thought fair – the man did resemble a Mack truck. His friendly blue eyes seemed an odd feature of the otherwise intimidating man.

He lightly shook the beer bottle to gain her attention. "I'm only twenty," she replied, but it didn't seem to deter him.

"I won't tell if you won't." He flashed her a grin, and Maria hesitantly reached for the bottle. She mumbled her thanks and took it from him, eyes drifting timidly down to the bar.

Juice snickered at her shy demeanor as he sat down next to her. She turned to scoff at him, but her tirade was cut off by a loud giggle coming from the corridor which led to the private rooms. The three of them turned to the sound just as Happy emerged from the hallway. Shirtless, with his arm wrapped around a ditzy blonde and a scowl on his face, he looked tired and unamused. Maria couldn't stop wondering why they called him Happy. In her opinion, 'Grumpy' was a more appropriate name, since he was constantly glaring at everything.

He escorted the flirty and nearly naked blonde to the door. When they passed her, Maria noticed that the girl's hand was in Happy's back pocket, no doubt feeling up his ass as he walked. With a long kiss and a squealed 'call me!', the girl was out of the clubhouse, and the biker was making his way to the bar. He situated himself on a stool next to Juice and took the beer that was passed his way. Mack chuckled as the Vice President rested his head against the cool bottle.

"Long night, brother?"

Happy groaned and took a pull of his beer before looking up. "Bitch was a lousy fuck and couldn't give a blowjob for shit."

"So you won't be calling her any time soon, huh?" Juice piped up, which caused Happy to turn his glare to him. Movement behind Juice caused his gaze to fall directly on Maria. He looked at her silently for a heartbeat, his eyes not straying from hers and then he spoke.

"Shouldn't you be at the playground? This is no place for little girls." Without waiting for a reply, he picked up his beer. "We're not fuckin' babysitters," he mumbled, standing and making his way to the pool table.

Maria just watched after him, shocked. Happy had made her feel uneasy since the first time she laid her eyes on him, but now she flat-out didn't like him. Not only did he scare her to death, but he patronized her too. She looked to Juice, who was giving her an apologetic smile. Sighing, she stared at her untouched beer. Maybe coming to the clubhouse to see him wouldn't be as easy as she thought after all.

* * *

_**February 18, 2001**_

Maria stood outside of the diner with her cellphone to her ear as she tried to get in touch with Juice. He had asked to borrow her truck this morning, promising he would come pick her up as soon as she called. The problem was that she had tried to ring him four times now, and he wasn't answering. She let out a frustrated sigh as it went to voicemail again. Rolling her eyes, she turned and began walking towards their apartment.

She arrived at the small living space forty-five minutes later, finding no signs that showed Juice had been there since they left together that morning. Maria sighed and decided to give him a few minutes to show up, sitting at the kitchen table to work on an assignment for school. Half an hour later, she looked at the clock, noting that it was almost five. It wasn't like him to not let her know where he was; Juice knew she would be worried. She cursed and stood up quickly, grabbing her jacket from the back of the couch and heading out the door to the only other place she could think of to look for Juice.

She got on a bus that dropped her a few blocks from Tacoma Auto, then walked the rest of the way there. She didn't know where else to look except for the Sons of Anarchy hangout, a place where Juice had become very comfortable. Walking through the gates, she headed towards the first person who might know Juice's whereabouts.

"Hey, Vegas," Maria said with a smile as she walked towards the large dark-haired man. Mark Jacobs, affectionately named Vegas after his birthplace, was well over six feet tall with hair cropped close to his head and steely blue eyes. He only spoke when he had something worth saying, which made him seem a bit cold. Maria tried to avoid being alone with him, if only to prevent awkward silences, but she found that he was rather accepting of her. He was the only guy there to not give her any shit about her relationship with Juice or her presence around the garage. Vegas shifted his eyes from the engine in front of him to her approaching figure and nodded silently in greeting. She leaned on the car he was working on, being careful to keep her distance from him. "Have you seen Juice today?"

He shook his head, going back to his work. Maria nodded and scratched the back of her head nervously as she began to walk away. "Ask Bronne." The mumble was so deep that it was almost a whisper, but it managed to make her jump nonetheless. Bronne, the charter's treasurer, was a pleasant guy with a loud voice and a rather obnoxious personality.

She turned back to Vegas to find that he hadn't moved from his original position under the hood, but she was sure he had spoken. "Bronne? Right. Is he in the clubhouse?" Vegas nodded microscopically, but it was enough for Maria. "Thanks."

She spun on her heel and headed across the space towards the motorcycle club's hangout, hoping nobody would yell at her for being here. Arriving in front of the main door, she knocked softly. When she received no answer, she knocked harder, grimacing as the metal door brushed roughly against her knuckles.

"It's open!" she heard someone call from inside the building.

She tentatively turned the knob and pushed the door open just enough to stick her head inside. Glancing around, she spotted Bronne and Fish, the club's newest prospect, playing a game of pool. Fish was a tall, lanky man that wasn't much older than Maria. He was awkward and clumsy, but he seemed to have a kind heart.

"Tag Along!" Bronne's booming voice hit her ears, causing her to wince slightly, both at the volume and the newly acquired nickname. "C'mon in. What brings you here?"

Maria slowly moved into the main room, grateful that there were only two club members present. "Hey. Have you seen Juice? He's not answering his phone, and I can't find him anywhere."

"Yeah, he was here earlier. The guys thought it would be a good time to break him in to some of the club business."

She froze and stared at him, not liking the potential meanings of what he had just said. "Wh-what does that mean?"

"Don't worry about it, sweetcheeks. Your boyfriend will be just fine." Bronne turned back to his game of pool, lining up a shot and sinking two balls into the corner pocket.

"Where are they? I mean, is he okay? What are they doing? Could he get hurt?" Maria was starting to feel the beginning stages of panic set in.

The bald treasurer rolled his eyes at the woman, while Fish stood quietly to the side. "He's perfectly safe," Bronne said, trying to reassure Maria. "Happy will make sure nothing happens to the kid. Relax."

She stared at him incredulously with a raised eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. "You cannot tell me that he's with Happy and honestly expect that to help me relax. Happy is a lunatic! He's probably burying Juice's body right now!" Bronne laughed loudly, the sound almost shaking the windows. Even the prospect cracked a smile at Maria's words, knowing the Vice President wasn't the friendliest of people. "Bronne!" she whined, giving the man her best sad face. "This isn't funny. I'm really worried about Juice. He's new to this stuff and so am I."

She pouted as best as she could, watching Bronne's face melt. "Fine. Fine! Stop doing that." Maria smiled triumphantly and skipped over to him as he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket. "I'll call Happy and make sure Juice is still breathing. But that's it. Understand?" She nodded fiercely, watching as he dialed a number. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered to himself, waiting for an answer. "Hey. The kid's girlfriend is worried about her boy. Is he in one piece?" There was a pause, then a raucous laugh. "That's what I told her, but I think it only made her panic more." More silence, then Bronne shoved the phone in her face with a smirk. "It's for you."

She snatched the phone and put it to her ear without a second thought. "Juice?" she asked hurriedly.

"Look, girlie." She gasped as a raspy voice met her ears, instead of the soft sound she was expecting. "You can't freak out every time Juice disappears. He's got a new job with the club. He'll disappear a lot. And if you can't accept that with no questions asked, then I'm not sure you're cut out to be his woman."

"I-I just don't want him to get hurt."

He laughed dryly, then replied, "You should have thought about that before you let him get involved with us." Before she could say anything else, a click signaled that the man had hung up on her. She mutely handed the phone back to its owner with a shaky hand.

"They should be back around seven," Bronne said with a grin, probably knowing exactly what had been said through the phone. "You can hang around until then if you want."

She smiled softly at him with a nod. "Thanks. I'm not usually this clingy, I promise. It's just... we haven't been separated for any period of time in I don't know how long."

He wrapped a bulky arm around her small frame and directed her to the pool table, where the forgotten game laid waiting. "C'mon, I'll teach you how to play pool."

Elsewhere, Happy hung up his phone and shook his head, shoving the device into the pocket of his jeans. "You've got one determined girl, Juice."

The smaller man shifted in his seat to face Happy. "I told you she'd manage to figure out where I was. She's gonna be so pissed when we get back."

Happy, Juice, and three other club members were currently sitting at a bar in Seattle, grabbing a drink after finishing with their secretive club business. Earlier that day, Juice had been at the garage for no more than three minutes when Happy dragged him to the row of bikes and told him that he was about to go on his first official assignment. Sure, Juice had done some minor hacking for the club, but this would be the first field operation he got to experience. His excitement easily outweighed his nerves and he hopped on his bike, which was now permanently stored at the clubhouse, and followed the Sons all the way to Seattle. He had been kept in the dark most of the afternoon, only getting information that was necessary for him to know in order to complete his tasks. Overall, it had been a pretty successful day.

Except every time Maria called him, Happy told him not to answer it. "_No pleasure when you're doing business_," he had said, but Juice was sure it was just a test. He had totally forgotten that he was supposed to pick Maria up from work, and he could only hope she wouldn't be too angry with him.

"So what's the deal with you and her anyways?" Happy asked gruffly as he leaned back in his seat, taking a large gulp from his beer bottle. "You two fucking or what?"

Juice shifted uncomfortably in his seat as four pairs of eyes landed on him in curiosity. People had always been questioning their relationship, wondering if they had ever gotten together or if they were a romantic item. "It's not like that, man. We're just friends."

"You're _just friends _with that piece of ass?" King asked, causing Juice to glare across the table at him. "I'm just calling it like I see it. You got more willpower than me if you can resist that girl."

* * *

"Sit down, would ya?" Vegas asked grumpily, lifting his head from the paperwork he was filling out. "You're drivin' me nuts."

She swiveled to face him, an exasperated look adorning her face. "They should have been back half an hour ago! Where are they?" She threw up her hands and turned back to the gate as if they would magically appear when she said this. She began her pacing once again and Vegas growled.

"Sit down, or I will shoot you."

Maria froze and looked at him, determining immediately that he was very serious. She tiptoed quickly over to a shabby wooden chair. As soon as her butt hit the seat, the roar of bikes could faintly be heard in the distance. She jumped back up and resumed her pacing, causing Vegas to roll his eyes and go back to his work. What seemed like hours later, the motorcycles made their way gracefully through the gate and into the lot.

Maria sighed, relief flooding her, as she spotted Juice near the back of the group, seemingly unharmed and happy. Before he had a chance to turn his bike off, Maria had him wrapped in a tight hug, effectively cutting off his air supply. "I'm fine, Mia." He carefully maneuvered himself off the bike while placing his arms around the small girl.

Juice opened his mouth to continue consoling her when she pulled back and smacked his shoulder. "How could you do that to me?" She hit him again with more force, causing him to wince. The club members in attendance outside laughed as Maria continued to wail on him angrily. "Did you forget how to use a phone? I was worried sick! I thought you were dead or something!"

She stopped her attack and embraced him once again. Juice looked down at her, unsure if the hug was only a temporary lull in the violence. "I know, and I'm sorry. I promise to call next time I go out like that."

"I'm just glad that you're okay." She squeezed him tighter, breathing in the comforting smell of his spicy cologne and motor oil.

"Relax, pipsqueak. He's fine." The harsh voice that rumbled through the lot was laced with annoyance. "Just like I told you on the phone."

She released Juice quickly and spun to face Happy, who was looking at the pair's affection with a bored expression. "How was I supposed to know that you were telling the truth? You're insane! You could have been lying to me on the phone while you chopped Juice into pieces." The hacker's eyes went wide at her hateful words, hoping the Vice President would take them in jest and not get angry with his friend.

Happy laughed darkly at the words and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Trust me, sweetheart. If I was chopping him up, I would have told you. Besides, do you really think I would haul his ass all the way to Seattle just to kill him?

"I don't know, would you?" Juice grabbed Maria's arm and tried to pull her in the opposite direction, silently pleading with her to not say anything else. She yanked her arm out of his grasp and stalked back to Happy. "Would it have killed you to let me talk to him for like two seconds? I just wanted to know that he was okay."

Happy smirked down at her as she closed the distance between them, incredibly amused at the small woman's determination. "Juice is a grown man. He doesn't need your permission to leave town."

Maria's rational side, however, was anything but amused. Her brain was trying to convince her mouth to stay closed, but it continued spouting insults at the outlaw. This time, the angry words were in Spanish.

Juice wrapped his arms around Maria and pulled her towards the truck, trying to shout apologies over the girl's frenzied verbal attack. Happy openly laughed at the pair and shook his head, before turning around and heading into the clubhouse.


	4. I Didn't Mean It

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note:** Sorry it took so long. Updates should be back to a regular schedule. Lots of Happy in this one! Enjoy.

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
Chapter 4: All That's Needed  
**"_Just one more moment, that's all that's needed.  
Like wounded soldiers in need of healing.  
Time to be honest, this time I'm pleading.  
Please don't dwell on it, cause I didn't mean it."  
_-"I'd Come For You" by Nickelback

_**March 04, 2001**_

This was taking _way_ too long.

Maria was on her way to the clubhouse, waiting for the traffic light to turn green. The smell of the french fries coming from the take-out bag next to her made her want to devour them before she made it to the garage, and the damn light wouldn't change.

Since her fight with Happy two weeks before, her visits to the clubhouse had been extremely rare. Even Juice hadn't pushed her to go, since she still had him on probation for scaring her. Taking that in to consideration, she was surprised when he called her right before her shift ended. He was sweet-talking her over the phone, saying how the boys missed her, and how she was a breath of fresh air in the garage. When she cut him off and asked what he wanted, he had stuttered out an embarrassed, "_We'__re hungry, but __everybody's busy__ working, and there's no one to go get food._" She had sighed and told him she'd be there with lunch as soon as she could.

The truth was that she couldn't avoid going to the garage forever. Something was bound to come up and make her go there and face Happy. She admitted to herself that maybe she had handled the situation with the Vice President a bit impulsively. Yes, she had been scared out of her mind for Juice, and she didn't trust Happy at all. But perhaps cussing him out in two different languages and almost attacking him wasn't the right way to go.

Shaking her head, Maria sighed and looked up at the light, which had finally turned green. She stepped on the gas and continued on her way to the clubhouse. She pulled into the garage parking lot a few minutes later, and a big smile spread across her face. Several bikes were parked in a neat line and were gleaming in the rare March sun. Maria had grown to appreciate the raw power of the bikes and understood what had pulled so many people to the machines in the first place.

She killed the engine and got out of the truck, making her way to the passenger side. While getting the food, she was startled by a loud barking coming from behind her. Quickly turning around, Maria was met with a big black dog that was sniffing the air and staring at her. The sight made her jump, and she almost dropped the food in surprise. She was definitely not expecting that. She had never seen the dog around the garage before, and she was curious about who it belonged to. That thought was pushed from her mind as it barked again, this time louder. The last thing she wanted was to become dog chow. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she looked down at the dog hesitantly.

"Good doggie. Look how big and pretty you are. Don't eat me. Please don't eat me."

A bark came in response as the German shepherd stepped closer to her, never taking its gaze from the food she was holding. Realizing what it wanted, Maria calmed herself down and smiled. Doggy didn't want to eat her, just the food she was bringing.

Reaching a tentative hand into the bag, she pulled out a few french fries. Maria crouched down and, the moment she extended her hand, the dog was next to her, eating the fries and licking her fingers. She laughed and patted the giant dog on the head, figuring it was safe to go inside and deliver the food.

"Bear!" A raspy voiced barked from across the lot, startling Maria. She quickly scrambled to her feet, eyes wide and heart hammering in her ribcage.

Happy was standing in the clubhouse doorway, both of his eyebrows raised and an amused look on his face. When he'd heard a car enter the lot and Bear barking, he'd thought the dog was going to scare off some new clients, so he'd gone to shut him up. He was annoyed that Bear hadn't come running when he called, but could only shake his head when he saw the dog. Just like his owner, Bear was temperamental, had a mind of his own, and loved to bite. And here he was, cosied up to Maria and looking way too comfortable. His less-than-friendly canine had been reduced to a whining household pet because of food and a pretty woman, something Happy could almost relate to.

"Is he yours?" When Happy nodded his head, Maria cringed and continued hesitantly. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Happy shook his head and looked at her, seeing the nervous shuffling of her feet. She was avoiding his gaze. "It's fine. He's always hungry." He moved closer to the truck and crouched down, scratching the dog's ears. "His name is Bear. You're lucky – he doesn't usually like strangers." Happy glanced up at her, smirking. "What are you doing here, anyway?" His gruff voice didn't have the edge it always seemed to possess, and that eased her a little bit.

"Juice called me, said you guys were hungry. I brought food." Maria gestured at the bags she was holding. Bear nudged her foot and jumped up, trying to snatch the food from her. Happy patted him on the head once more and got to his feet.

"We should go in before he eats all the food." He started walking to the door, before Maria's voice stopped him.

"Happy! Look, about last time..." He stopped and turned around, waiting for her to continue. Maria looked at the ground and took a deep breath, then her gaze settled on his. "The yelling and-"

Happy grunted and lifted one of his hands to cut her off, his other reaching into his jeans pocket. He fished out a pack of cigarettes and pulled one from the carton. Pocketing the pack, he took out a lighter. "It's fine." He lit the cigarette and took a drag from it, looking at her closely. "Just make sure it doesn't happen again." Happy turned around and put the lighter back in his pocket. He started his walk to the clubhouse again, Bear trotting after him.

Maria was left gaping after him, shocked. For the past two weeks, she had anticipated to endure hell from the Vice President. Him being so calm about the whole thing really threw her off.

As he opened the door, Happy noticed that Maria wasn't following behind him. "Are you coming or what?" he asked over his shoulder, then entered the building without a backwards glance. That had her hurrying after him, still not sure what had just happened. Did they just have a friendly conversation? She sighed. Maybe Happy wasn't as bad as she had originally thought.

* * *

_**May 13th, 2001**_

Maria parked her truck in the lot of Tacoma Auto, grabbing her bag from the passenger seat. She got out and carefully avoided motorcycles and their owners while she looked for a familiar face. There were at least a dozen bikes roaring to life, getting ready to hit the road. As they steered down the drive and onto the street, Bronne came rushing out of the clubhouse, sliding on a pair of sunglasses.

"Cupcake!" he yelled, jogging towards a large bike near the end of the row.

"Have you seen Juice?" Maria moved towards him, hoping the treasurer could at least narrow down the list of places she had to search.

"I'm doing great, thanks for asking." He smirked as she looked at him apologetically. "He's inside talking business with the boss." Bronne picked up his helmet from the bike's left handlebar and placed it on his head. "Why don't you go and wait in the garage for him? He shouldn't be too long." He snapped the buckle together, securing the helmet. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I gotta go." Maria backed up as he started the bike, waving to him as he peeled out of the lot.

Making her way into the garage, she was surprised to find it empty for the time of day. She settled herself to wait on a stool next to an old Toyota and pulled out her sketchbook, figuring she could use the spare time to finish some schoolwork.

A loud bang shook Maria from her daze a few minutes later, her head shooting up from the paper to locate the source of the noise. Her eyes fell on Happy, who was storming out of the clubhouse and towards his bike. This wasn't an unusual occurrence, as most of the bikers went riding to cool down. This time, however, Happy merely sat on his bike while pulling a cigarette from a pack in his pocket. Lighting it, he took a hard drag, letting his eyes roam around the lot. His gaze landed on her before she could avert her eyes, but she tried to act as though she had never seen him. The sound of boots hitting the pavement alerted Maria to the fact that Happy had indeed noticed her staring.

"What are you doing here?" he asked roughly, stalking over to her.

She swallowed hard and closed her book, craning her head up to meet his eyes. "Bronne said I could wait in here until Juice was finished doing... whatever it is he's doing."

Happy stared her down, trying to see if she was telling him the truth. He nodded after a second, then closed the distance between them, his eyes landing on her art notebook.

"Whatcha got there?"

She followed his gaze to the paper in her lap, then quickly looked back up at him. "N-nothing. Just my sketch book for school. It's-" He pulled the book easily from her hands and leaned up against the car next to her to examine it, "-due next week."

"Juice said something about you being an art student." Maria watched nervously as he flipped through the pages, the blank expression on his face never changing. "Not bad." He stopped on a picture of a motorcycle and narrowed his eyes. "You drew my bike?"

Her eyes widened as he turned to her with a raised eyebrow. "Th-that's your bike? I didn't know it was yours, honestly. I'm so sorry. You can rip-"

His raspy chuckle stopped her, and Happy continued his perusal of the book. "It's fine. Don't worry about it." Maria let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, relaxing against the cabinet behind her. The next drawing to catch his eye was one she had finished recently. "How did you manage to make my terrifying guard dog look so nice?"

She laughed, looking at the image of a sleeping Bear. "He's quite sweet once he knows who you are. Especially if you bring him food."

Happy shook his head and replied, "Some guard dog he is." Maria giggled and Happy's mischievous eyes met hers. The next flip of the page revealed a landscape picture of a city, a river and a bridge in the background. Tints of orange and pink reflected off of the water from the setting sun. A lone park bench sat in the foreground, a lighted tree creating a canopy over it.

"This is really good." Her golden complexion hid the blush that crept up her cheeks at the compliment. "Do you think you could do a piece for my bike?" She looked at him, puzzled. "You can paint too, right?" She nodded hesitantly. "So then you could draw something for me and paint it on my bike."

She looked at him incredulously. "Theoretically, yes."

Happy turned expecting eyes on her, waiting for her to continue. "But...?"

"But what if I mess up or... or you don't like it? Then I've ruined your bike, and you'll hate me even more than you already do. That is, if you don't kill me in a fit of rage first."

He stared at her, slightly wide-eyed at her sudden panic. "Or you could just paint over it and try again?" he suggested carefully.

Maria snapped her mouth shut, wondering how she always managed to lose her common sense when he was around. "Oh... right. I guess I could try. But I don't guarantee anything. What exactly is it that you want me to draw?"

"Some kind of club logo, like the one on our cuts." He took the pencil from her hand and turned to a blank sheet of paper in the book, using the Toyota as a table. Maria got off the stool and watched over his shoulder as he drew what looked like a lopsided face. He then added a hockey stick and a ball, finishing up with a hastily scribbled 'SOA' underneath the picture. "Something like this. Except, ya know, artsy."

She picked up the sketchbook and held it closer to her face. After several tilts of her head and turns of the paper, she finally had to ask him. "What is it?" He stared at her blankly, and then rolled his eyes, turning his back to her. At first, Maria thought he was angry, but after a second look, she finally understood what he had drawn. "Oh! '_Cut_' means '_vest_', that's right." She held the paper closer to her face and squinted. "So, that's not a hockey stick?" She squeaked as he snatched the book from her hands.

"Forget about my shitty drawing." He flipped the sheet over and laid it on the hood, then held the pencil out to her. "Get to work."

"What?" Her eyes grew wide as she sputtered a sentence together. "R-right now?" He nodded and wriggled the writing utensil in her face, waiting for her to take it. She sat back on her stool nervously, hoping someone would come distract Happy long enough for her to escape She hated being put on the spot. "Good artwork takes time. I can't just pull a picture out of thin air. I need-"

Before she could blink, he was next to her, calmly picking up both her and the stool and settling them next to the Toyota. She had no time to make any objections. She merely sat frozen as he once again held the pencil out to her. "I'm not asking for a Picasso. Just a quick sketch."

Maria nodded mutely and took the pencil from his large hand. After a few seconds of staring blankly at the paper, she signaled with her hand for him to turn around. "Let me see the design again." He shrugged off his cut and placed it carefully next to the paper. "Or you could do that." He responded by leaning a hip against the car and crossing his arms. "You're gonna stand there and watch?"

"Draw!"

"Right, sorry." She started with the outline of the grim reaper, then moved on to his face.

"I want the reaper to look insane. Terrifying."

She said nothing in response, only continued her drawing. After adding some extra shadows to the figure, she looked up at him. "Do you want the knife and gun thing too?"

"Whatever you want to do. You're the expert." She smiled softly and went back to her work.

A few minutes later, Juice entered the garage, quickly becoming confused at the scene in front of him. Nodding a greeting to Happy, he turned his attention to Maria. "Hey Mia, ready to go?"

She turned her head towards him and smiled. "Yeah, give me a minute."

Juice walked to her side, eyes focused on the seemingly calm biker looming over her. "What are you guys doing?" While he had grown to trust the club's Vice President, he knew Maria and Happy were not always on the best of terms. He glanced down at Maria to see her busy at work. It wasn't unusual to see her drawing, but grim reapers and guns weren't normally her thing. "What is that?"

"It's a piece for my bike," Happy said with a grin.

"How come you didn't draw anything for my bike?" Juice asked, crossing his arms accusingly as he stared at the side of Maria's head.

"You never asked," she muttered distractedly as she finished up the letters on the sketch. "Done. What do you think?" She held the paper up so Happy could get a clear view of it. He examined it thoroughly, then grinned.

"Perfect. When can you put it on my bike?"

She laughed at his eagerness and replied, "I need to do a formal sketch and add some color. Of course, I also have drawings to do for school and I have to work and-"

"Whatever. Just finish it when you can."

She nodded and stuck the paper into her notebook for later use, then glanced at her watch. "You ready, Juice? I have to be at work in twenty." Juice nodded and Maria stood up, moving the stool back to its original place. "I'll let you know when I get a chance to finish it," she said to Happy, then moved to follow Juice out of the garage.

"Thanks," Happy said, following them to the bay door. He watched as the pair headed over to the truck, Maria waving at Fish as the prospect came out of the clubhouse.

"What the hell was that?" Juice whispered loudly to her, looking behind him to make sure Happy was out of hearing range.

"No idea. But he wasn't threatening or insulting me, so I'm not going to complain."


	5. Caught Up In The Moment

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomania__c_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **Sorry for the long wait guys! Our interest in the show was a bit lax in recent months and school and travel and etc. We will, at the very least, be posting all of the unedited versions of the chapters, but I still hope to edit them a little since my interested has been renewed. Seriously, how awesome is this season?

So the events in this chapter might seem a bit sudden to some of you, but keep in mind that 7 months have passed so far in the story. Thanks to everyone who has read. We are constantly amazed at how much you guys are liking this. Oh, and there's a line from Supernatural in here. Kudos to those who get it. Enjoy!

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
****Chapter 5: Caught Up in the Moment  
**"_Yeah, they got caught up in the moment, couldn't help themselves.  
__They got caught up in the moment, got wild as hell.  
__It was everything they wanted, right then and there,  
__They got caught up in the moment."  
_-"Caught Up in the Moment" by Big and Rich

_**June 16th, 2001**_

"Be careful, I mean it. If you get hurt, I'm going to kill you." Juice rolled his eyes at the threat and hugged Maria again for what seemed like the hundredth time that hour.

"I'll be fine. It's just a quick thing, and I'll barely get involved. Besides, we'll be driving most of the time anyways." Juice tried with no avail to console his friend, who was worried that he would get hurt on the club's latest run.

"Relax, Princess," Mack said, sauntering up to the pair. "I'll be with him the whole time." He slapped Juice on the back, causing the smaller man to stumble forward slightly.

"Oh yeah, that's really comforting," Maria replied sarcastically as the large man moved down the line of motorcycles. "Thanks."

Juice wrapped his arm around her shoulder and directed her towards his own bike. "I'll be home before you know it." He kissed her cheek and got on his bike, sliding his helmet on his head and securing it. "I'll be fine," he stressed, hoping she would stop worrying about him.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. Have fun." Juice cranked the motorcycle and joined the group leaving the lot. Maria stood there until they were out of sight, only moving when Vegas came up behind her.

"You can go hang out in the clubhouse until they get back if you want. But I don't want to see you, and I sure as hell don't want to hear you." Maria smiled up at him and couldn't resist hugging him, her smile getting even bigger as he patted her on the head like a child. "Now scram."

She walked quickly towards the building before he could change his mind. Watching her disappear inside, Vegas shook his head, knowing that sooner or later she was going to cause someone in the club some serious trouble.

Shutting the door behind her, Maria was glad to see that the bikers who usually occupied the room had all gone on the run with Boss and the others. She walked over to the empty bar and sat on a stool, wondering what she was going to do to pass the time. She grabbed a magazine off the counter top, noticing the detailing of the bikes on the front cover. Hoping to get some ideas for Happy's piece, she pulled out her sketchbook and began flipping through the magazine.

"Let me guess, Bronne said you should wait here." She jumped and spun around on the stool, surprised to see Happy leaning against the end of the bar. She absently wondered how a man as large as him could move so quietly, since she hadn't even heard the door open. A clock on the wall told her it had been over an our since she'd taken her seat, and she was amazed at how quickly the time had passed.

"Actually, Vegas said that I could stay as long as I didn't bother him. Bronne told me to go home and stop worrying."

"Bronne was right." She looked at him, trying to figure out if that was his polite way of telling her to get out.

"I can leave it you want." She moved to get off the stool, but a calloused hand landed on her shoulder and kept her from leaving the seat.

"Nah, it's fine." He then backed up, and Maria was afraid she had somehow offended him. She started to say something, but then realized that he had only moved behind the bar. He bent out of sight, and she heard the sound of glass clinking together.

"You look like you could use a drink," he said as he stood upright and placed an open bottle of beer in front of her, his other hand holding a bottle for himself.

"Oh, I'm only twenty."

Happy snorted as he moved back to the customer's side of the bar and sat down, leaving an empty stool between them. "Underage drinking is the least of the club's concerns." Maria eyed both him and the bottle wearily, knowing she really didn't need to be drinking in the middle of a biker bar. "Go on, one beer won't hurt you. It'll just knock the edge off and help you relax."

After weighing her options for another moment, she picked up the cold bottle and poured the amber liquid hesitantly down her throat. She coughed slightly as she swallowed and grimaced at the taste. "That's disgusting," she muttered, putting the bottle down gently.

Letting out a rough laugh, Happy turned towards her and propped his feet against the bottom rung of the stool next to him. "It's the price we pay for a little peace," he said, before taking a sip of his own drink. "So, you and Juice are really close, huh?"

"We've been best friends since we were eight. His family moved into the apartment a few doors down from mine." She took another gulp of her drink, the taste not quite as bad as before. "He's just always been around."

"And you're afraid the club is going to take him from you?" Happy said this as more of a statement than a question. She looked up at him, wondering if he actually understood how she felt. "I'm not gonna lie to ya, kid. The club will take up a lot of his time. And should he decide to prospect, it will basically become his life."

Maria nodded, drinking her beer in the hope that she could shake some of the anxiety she was feeling. "It's not that I'm upset that he's in the club. I mean, he's found something that is like a family, and he really enjoys it here. I'm just afraid that he's going to get mixed up in something and get hurt." She took another mouthful of the alcohol and turned her head towards Happy as she continued. "I can't live without Juice. I need him more than I care to admit." Maria swallowed hard, breaking the eye contact and fighting back the tears that threatening to form. "I'm sorry," she said shakily. "I didn't mean to get all emotional on you. I just really care about him." She scoffed and shook her head. "Of course, you're a bad ass biker, so you probably think I'm stupid."

She tossed back the last of the liquid from the bottle in front of her, failing to notice that Happy had closed the gap between them until he spoke. "Contrary to popular belief, us bikers aren't only about '_sex, violence, and mayhem._' Not all the time anyways." He took a moment to drain half his beer, contemplating whether or not to grab something stronger. "I'll do my best to look out for Juice when I can."

Happy was blindsided as Maria threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders in a tight hug. "Hearing you say that means more to me than you could know." Happy sat there awkwardly, thankful that none of the other guys were in the clubhouse to witness this rare moment of kindness. He was surprised by how much the small promise had affected the girl that was now clinging to him. Hesitantly patting her on the back, he hoped that would be a sufficient amount of comfort from his end. He had never been good with physical contact unless it was of the sexual kind.

"Okay, maybe I should grab us some more drinks." Happy gently pushed the black-haired woman back onto her stool and headed to the other side of the bar. He was definitely going to need something stronger.

"Do you have anything besides this nasty stuff?" She lifted her empty bottle and shook it at him.

He laughed and turned to the back wall, which was lined with various bottles of liquor. "Let's see if we can find something decent for a lightweight like you."

A few hours and multiple shots later, Happy was beating Maria at pool for the third game in a row. The usually-coordinated woman was now more than a little tipsy, while Happy was just starting to feel the effects of the alcohol.

Maria drained the contents of her cup before making her way over to the bar. "What have I been drinking? I need more of it."

"I don't think you need anymore," Happy said, joining Maria and taking a bottle of vodka from her hand. "You can't be that drunk. You've been downing mostly cranberry juice."

"Well, I'm feeling fantastic!" She threw her hands up in the air for emphasis. "So fix me another one!" She tried to take the bottle back from Happy, who used his nine inch height advantage to keep it out of her reach.

"What? You want this?" he teased, laughing as Maria jumped to gain some height. Her last jump was particularly powerful, and the alcohol's effect on her sense of balance caused her to lose her footing. She grabbed on to Happy for support, making him stumble slightly from the sudden shift of weight. Maria giggled as he braced himself against the counter with one hand and brought the bottle in his other to an average height. They stared at each other briefly before Maria ruined the moment by snatching the bottle and cackling in triumph, turning away from him and back towards her cup.

Her success was short lived as Happy came from behind her and pushed her forwards, turning her around so that she was facing him. Without his eyes leaving hers, he gently pulled the bottle from her hand and set it on the counter.

"You think you're real cute, don't you?" He placed a hand on either side of her, effectively trapping her between him and the bar's back counter.

She smirked up at him, the alcohol coursing through her body giving her more courage than she would ever normally have in his presence. "I think I'm _adorable_."

He grinned devilishly down at her in response, pool games and drink refills long forgotten. Ending their staring contest, Maria pushed off the bar and up against Happy, her lips meeting his in a sudden kiss. He stood there in shock, not moving even as she pulled back moments later. She rocked on the balls of her feet and bit her lip, a giddy smile on her face as she stared up at him. A few seconds passed before Happy reacted, kissing her roughly while lifting her up to his height for better access. Two sets of hands began to roam, Maria's finding the muscle hidden under the fabric of his shirt, while the other ran across jean-clad thighs and a supple backside. He moved his lips from her mouth to her throat, finding a secret spot near her collarbone that had her shivering in delight. She giggled as the stubble on his jaw ran against her neck, trailing kisses back up to her lips.

Maria broke the kiss to pull Happy's shirt over his head, tossing it somewhere to the right. In response, Happy moved her over to the bar and sat her on top of it. He growled as she bit at his neck and ran her fingertips lightly over the tattoos on his shoulders.

Just as things began to get really heated, Happy pulled back, resting his forehead against her shoulder as he tried to catch his breath. Looking up at her moments later, he asked, "Do you really want me to fuck you on the bar?"

"I would prefer something with a bit more cushion, but I'm not picky."

Happy grunted as he threw her over his shoulder and headed down the hallway towards the back of the clubhouse, Maria squealing the entire way. Alcohol had washed away any chance of rational thought the pair might have had, leaving nothing but lust and a sense of need to drive their actions.

Arriving at his designated room, Happy threw her onto the unmade bed, not bothering to turn any lights on. He positioned himself above her and continued their lip-locking, blindly moving his hands to the buttons on her shirt. He pulled the cloth from her body, trying hard not to rip it in his haste, and then moved on to her jeans. Before he could finish his task, Maria shifted her weight, attempting to roll them over. He allowed her to flip them, curious as to what she would do now that she was in partial control. She kissed her way slowly down his chest, following the lines of his dragon tattoo and looking up at him under her lashes. He grinned wickedly as she got to his jeans, her nimble fingers unfastening his belt at an tortuously drawn-out pace. He lifted his hips as she pulled it from the loops, growling when she grabbed both ends in one hand and swung the belt around in circles above her head like a lasso. Her hips rotated with the motion of her hand, causing her to grind into his crotch and make him groan.

"Quit being a fucking tease," he snarled, clenching his hands around her waste to stop her movement.

She snickered, running her hands back down his chest to the button on his jeans. "You love it."

* * *

Maria awoke the following morning in a room she didn't recognize with a serious headache. She was thankful for the thick curtains over the windows that were blocking the harsh sun from entering the room. She laid still momentarily, trying to recall the events of the previous night. Realizing that the pillow her head was laying on was a pectoral muscle, Maria groaned as the memories came flooding back. "Fuck," she muttered, unconsciously burying herself into the body next to her.

"We've already done that, sweetheart." The deep voice startled her, and she picked her head up to see that Happy was looking quite alert. "Good morning."

"Morning," she squeaked, causing him to smirk and her to blush a deep pink. She moved off of his body and hid her face in an actual pillow. "Please don't ever let me drink again."

"Was I that bad?" She blushed again, all kinds of dirty images invading her mind.

"No, no. You were... ahem, very good."

"Then what's the problem? We're two consenting adults. Nothing wrong with a little casual sex."

She peered at him with one eye as he grinned lazily at her. "I was talking about the headache." She smiled as he let out a husky laugh.

"You think you're real cute."

"Yeah, I do." They shared a look before Maria sat up slowly, hoping the room wouldn't spin too much. "I know this was a one time thing, just comfort sex. Really good comfort sex." She turned her head to look at him, knowing he wouldn't make a big deal out of the night. "But thank you. I really needed the distraction."

Happy watched her for a moment, then folded his arms behind his head. "What can I say? Just doing my civic duty."

He smirked as she smacked his chest. "Jerk," she said as an uncontrollable smile formed on her face.

He grabbed her hand and began pulling her on top of him, his expression growing more devious by the second. "You know, if we get a quick fuck in now, it'll only count as round two of last night. So technically, it would still be a one time thing."

She used her hands to brace herself against his chest, glaring at him as he tried to pull her closer. "You expect me to fuck you now that I'm sober?"

"C'mon, you know you want to." He wiggled his eyebrows, and she tried not to laugh, distracting herself by tracing over his tattoos with her fingers. It was hard to think clearly, as she was nakedly straddling an equally unclothed Happy.

Looking down at the eyes that promised her nothing but a good time, Maria threw caution to the wind once again and said, "What the hell."

Happy wasted no time as he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck to pull her down for a deep kiss. She enjoyed her position over him for only a few moments as he quickly rolled them over, loving the control that came from being on top. His hands traveled slowly and deliberately over her bare skin, his gentle kisses momentarily surprising Maria.

The sound of a door opening stopped anything else from happening, and Maria quickly pulled the sheet up to cover her body from any unwanted stares.

"Hey Hap, Boss is looking for..." the voice trailed off as his gaze landed on the naked pair in bed.

Maria's eyes grew wide as she peered around Happy's arm to see Juice standing in the doorway, an incredulous look on his face. "Juice!" she said in surprise, pushing herself from the bed so she could grab her clothes off the floor.

"Uhm, Boss is looking for you," Juice said quietly in Happy's direction, before taking a final glance at the pair and exiting the room.

"Juice, wait!" Maria cried, sliding her clothing on as quickly as she could.

Happy rolled his eyes, annoyed that they had been interrupted in the middle of round two. "Wait a sec'," he said, trying to grab her arm and pull her back on the bed to finish what they started. She evaded his grasp as she yanked her jeans up and fastened them. "Maria!" He tried again to capture her, but she ran out of the room after Juice, sparing only a second to glance back at Happy. "Son of a bitch!" he growled, falling back against his pillows, angry and with a massive hard-on.

* * *

**Authors' Note:** Just wanted to touch on the fast-pace of the story briefly. When we wrote this originally a few years ago, we weren't very interested in the relationship building between Hap and Maria. We just wanted to write their adventures as a couple. The initial build up sort of bores us, and we didn't want this story to be a million chapters. That's why there are such large time jumps here in the beginning. So I know them hooking up in the first 5 chapters is a bit sudden for some of you, just keep in mind the time frame. And the fact that, at this point, they are not in a relationship.

And of course, for those of you who have previously read this story, if there's a change or something you would like to see added, feel free to leave it in a review or PM. I know someone mentioned more Kozik; he wasn't a huge character when we started writing this during season 2, so he doesn't make much of an appearance. We will try to fix that.


	6. What Happened Next

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **Thank you guys for the positive feedback. Glad we're getting some new SOA fans into the story as well as some older ones. This chapter picks up right where the last one left off. We hope you enjoy!

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
Chapter 6: What Happened Next  
**"_When I came to the next morning,  
There were cigarettes put out on the floor.  
Her panties hanging from the doorknob,  
Yeah, she left me craving more."  
_-"Room 21" by Hinder

_**June 17th, 2001**_

The vice president was in his room, sprawled across the bed. Going to see Boss in his current state was out of the question. He would never live down the humiliation of showing up to church with a hard on. Happy lifted himself off the bed and looked at the open door, willing Maria to walk back in and finish what she started. When she wasn't back a few minutes later, he bent down to pick up his jeans and pulled them on.

The fastest solution would be a cold shower, so he headed for his private bathroom, one of the perks of being the Vice President.

Just as he was about to go into the bathroom, he saw a flash of blonde pass his door, the sound of high heels clicking on the floor echoing loudly in the corridor. A biker groupie was just what he needed to get rid of his problem, so he strode with purpose out of the room and after the girl. She was swaying unsteadily on her feet, using the wall for support. Apparently he wasn't the only one to enjoy some female company the previous night, as that was the only reason for the girl to be in the clubhouse this early in the morning.

She was fairly tall, with long legs and a nice ass. Wearing a short skirt that could pass for a belt and a tight pink top, there wasn't much left to the imagination. When the blonde heard his footsteps, she turned around, and Happy was able to see her face. She would have been quite pretty if it wasn't for all the make-up that was caked on it. Her fake breasts displeased him, but as long as she could do wonders with her mouth, he had no problems using her to get himself off.

Upon further examination, he realized he'd spent a night with her a few weeks back, after a typical Saturday night party. She had performed well, but not well enough for him to seek her out again, nor for him to even try to remember her name.

"Hey there, handsome." Her sultry voice echoed in the corridor, full of invitation and making her intentions clear. "You need some company this fine morning?" She eyed him up and down, her eyes lingering on the bulge in his pants. "Want some help with that?" He was already next to her, so she was able to run her hands over his naked chest and lean in to whisper in his ear. "Are you excited to see me, Happy?"

"Very." His raspy voice went right through her, causing a shiver to run down her spine. He caught her under the elbow and took a few steps down the corridor, guiding her to a door on the left. He wasn't going to take her to his room, but the hallway bathroom would do well enough.

* * *

"Juice!" Maria was hurrying after him, trying to button up her shirt in the process. She never knew Juice could walk that fast. "Juice, wait!"

He looked behind him and shook his head. He'd stop and give her a chance to explain herself, but not before they were out of the clubhouse. He passed through the main room and headed to the door, Maria still hot on his heels.

Slamming the door behind her as they excited the building, Maria yelled after him. "Carlos, would you stop already? I'm trying to talk to you!"

He stopped abruptly and whirled around to face her, almost causing her to collide with him. Maria took a few steps back and looked at him, trying to collect her thoughts before speaking.

"Well?" Juice prodded, impatience and irritation clear in his voice. "You wanted to talk, so talk."

"Not that it's any of your business, but what's your problem with Happy and I sleeping together? It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal? I know these guys, Mia, and I know how they treat women! You think you're going to be his one and only now? He's not gonna ask you to dinner or show up at the apartment with flowers and candy."

"Jesus, Juice, I'm not stupid. I know he won't do any of that stuff. I don't expect him to!" Maria yelled and took a step closer, the two of them coming toe to toe.

"Happy is not a guy that you want to get involved with. He's dangerous!"

Last night was a one time thing. She knew it, Happy knew it, and now Maria had to make sure that Juice knew it too. "It was just casual sex, Carlos! I needed it, he was there, we were both willing. It just happened, and I'm not expecting anything more from him." Juice opened his mouth to object again, but she stopped him. "Look, I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself. Happy knows that it's not going to happen again. I'm absolutely sure that he's thrilled that I won't be on his case when he doesn't call. Just stop making a big deal out of it, because it's not."

He huffed and threw his hands up in exasperation. "Fine! If you're okay, then I'm okay too."

"I'm okay," she hastened to reassure him again, a smile on her face. Suddenly, she launched herself at him, hugging him tightly. "I missed you, and I was so worried!"

Returning the hug, he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I can tell," he replied sarcastically, then softened his tone. "I'm fine, Mia. The job was a piece of cake, and I didn't do much anyway." Putting her down, he took a step back.

"Well, good. I don't even want to think about you getting hurt." She put her arm around his waist when his went comfortably around her shoulders. "C'mon, walk me to the car."

"Don't tell me you're making an escape after your one night stand? Isn't that supposed to be done while the other person is still asleep?" He teased her, a goofy grin on his face.

"Ha-ha. You were yelling about it a few minutes ago, and now you're making jokes? Hilarious." She squeezed his side and smiled up at him. "I have to go to work, and I want to stop by the apartment first. Take a shower and change, maybe take some schoolwork to do when I have free time." With a mischievous grin on her face, she continued. "Why don't you come by today? I'm sure Beth would _love _to see you!"

Juice opened the door for her, a pained expression on his face. "I thought you didn't want me to get hurt? That girl's going to molest me if she sees me!"

Maria laughed at him and got into the truck. "Are you going to be home for dinner tonight, or should I eat without you?"

"I'll see what I can do." A sheepish look made it's way onto his face. "I'm not promising anything though. The guys might need me!"

Rolling her eyes, Maria shut her door and put the keys into the ignition. "I've heard that one before." Starting the old truck, she pulled out of Tacoma Auto and was on the way to her apartment, leaving Juice waving in the lot.

After she was gone, Juice put his hands in the pockets of his jeans and started his walk to the clubhouse. He was going to talk to Happy to make sure he was perfectly clear that no more one night stands would be occurring between him and Maria.

* * *

As soon as the door was closed behind them, she was on him – pulling him closer, kissing him. Her hands ran up his chest as she lightly scratched him with her nails. His hands were running over her curves, grabbing her ass. Happy leaned against the door and closed his eyes. With his hands on her shoulders, he shoved her to her knees. She unbuckled his belt and pulled down the zipper on his jeans. Burying his hands in her hair, he anticipated the moment she'd have her mouth around him, needing the release.

As he was urging her to hurry, the image he saw in his mind changed. Instead of her milky white skin, he saw bronze. Instead of her dry blonde hair, he was running his fingers through silky raven tresses. Instead of her face, caked in make-up, he was seeing the clean skin of a certain young Latina.

His frustration built and he shoved the girl away. Her small hands had traveled down his body, but they felt nothing like Maria's had the previous night. It just wasn't the same. It wasn't what his dick was currently craving.

Happy was a man that liked to have his need satisfied. If he had a fantasy, it always became a true experience by the end of the night. Teachers, naughty nurses, cowgirls - the sweetbutts were whatever he wanted. They were all more than eager to please him and even had some of their own fantasies, which he gladly helped with. But this was an entirely different situation. This girl wasn't what he wanted.

Angry with himself, he zipped up his pants and threw the door open, causing it to bang against the wall. Buckling his belt, he stomped out of the bathroom, nearly colliding with Juice.

"Hap, can I talk-"

"Not now," he rumbled and cut Juice off, continuing on his way. The girl he was with tried to follow after him and even called his name, but he ignored her and headed down the hall.

Walking through his dorm, he went into the bathroom to take a shower. Stripping, he turned the tap for the hot water, steam rising and filling the small space.

Finishing quickly, he got dressed and hurried to find Boss. As close as they were, one thing that the Tacoma charter president didn't tolerate was tardiness. It was worse if the reason you were late was a piece of ass. When he entered the Chapel, he saw Boss sitting at the head of the wooden table, a grim expression on his face.

"That was quick." Sarcasm dripped from his words, conveying his displeasure. "I sent for you, what... half an hour ago?"

"Had to take a shower." Happy's response was mechanic, his face blank.

Boss raised an eyebrow, his skeptical look telling Happy that he was on thin ice. The vice president sat quickly in his seat near the head of the table and waited for the man to speak.

"Now, about last night..."

The atmosphere changed quickly once they started talking business, everything else forgotten.

* * *

Juice parked his bike at the diner and looked inside. Maria had just taken the order of an elderly couple that was seated near the window. Smiling, she went to the counter and started talking to Beth. The bubbly blonde looked to be in a similar mood, her face split into a wide grin. Juice hadn't planned on going anywhere near the diner today, but after what had happened in the clubhouse, he just had to talk to Maria.

After seeing her off, he had gone in search of Happy so he could talk to him. He strode across the parking lot and into the clubhouse, passing by the Chapel on his way in. The door to it was wide open and Boss was alone inside, drinking a beer. Juice thought they had probably finished with the meeting, so he continued walking to the dorms. Since he hadn't seen the biker walking out of the clubhouse, the only place he could be was in his room. He heard a few swear words come from the bathroom when he was passing by it, and suddenly the door flew open, banging against the wall. Happy came barreling out, and Juice barely managed to avoid being run over. He didn't notice the vice president's angry expression at first, so he hastily called after him, so as not to miss his opportunity.

"Hap, can I talk-"

But he couldn't even finish his sentence, as not only did Happy cut him off with an annoyed, "Not now," but a scantily-clad blonde stumbled out of the bathroom after the biker, calling his name and trying to follow him.

It took a few seconds for everything to click in Juice's mind. By the time it did, he found himself helping the hungover blonde out of the clubhouse and to her car, turning her advances down and forcibly keeping her hands away from him.

When he was finished with her, the anger was rolling off of him in waves, and he was battling with the desire to find Happy and give him a piece of his mind. He thought of the biker as his friend, but Maria was his family. Even if she tried so hard to make him believe that it wasn't such a big deal, he knew better. The fact of the matter was that Maria and Happy would have to be around each other and spend time together. Things were undoubtedly going to become awkward. And seeing as half the MC saw him escort the blonde out and heard her spouting off about Happy going completely crazy while she was trying to give him head, he needed to tell Maria about the situation before she heard it from someone else.

So, with his mind made up, he had gotten on his bike and started the trip to the diner. Now that he was sitting in the diner parking lot, his idea seemed a bit impulsive. He wasn't sure that Maria would believe him when he told her what he saw. And even if she did believe him, he could bet that she'd be her stubborn self and continue with her 'not a big deal' speech.

Sighing, Juice got off the bike and pocketed his keys. The bell on the door jingled when he entered, and Maria and Beth turned to look at him. He put on a strained smile and started walking to the counter, his heavy footsteps droned out by the chatter of the patrons. He noticed the blonde's face light up, and she started patting her hair and adjusting her top, no doubt wanting to impress him. Swallowing hard, he reminded himself that he was doing this for Maria, and that he was going to be out of the small diner as soon as he spoke to her.

Maria, on the other hand, was trying hard not to laugh at the pained expression on his face. She had been confused when Juice had walked in, as he'd said that he would be working hard at the garage for most of the day. All kinds of bad thoughts had started swirling in her mind, since he looked rather grim. Maybe there had been an accident? Maybe he had gotten in a fight with one of the guys? Her gut twisted when she thought about the possibility of him starting something with Happy. Getting Juice on Happy's bad side wasn't what she wanted, and she cursed herself for not making sure Carlos understood what had happened between the two of them was nothing to be concerned about.

All the dread that had pooled in her gut disappeared though, when she saw where Juice was looking at. His eyes were trained on Beth, who was primping herself, making sure she looked presentable. Maria realized that was the reason he had such a tortured expression and smiled, trying to stifle her laughter. She debated on whether to let him sweat for a while, but thought better of it. Juice was usually avoiding the diner like the plague when Beth was working, so he must have something important to tell her if he was risking it.

Hopping off of the stool she was sitting on, she met him half way, a questioning expression on her face.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you doing here? I thought you were going to be busy at the garage today."

"We have to talk." He shot a quick look at Beth, then turned to look at her again. "In private." His voice was stern, and Maria bit her lip, starting to worry again.

She turned to the blonde sitting at the counter and flashed her a quick smile. "Can you keep an eye on my tables?"

No sooner had she received a nod from the blonde, she was tugging on Juice's hand, leading him out back. There were two crates next to the wall, and she went to sit on one of them. Juice positioned himself on the other one, and she looked at him, waiting to hear what he had to say. He was silent for a few seconds, and when he started speaking, his voice was hard, anger laced into his words. "This morning, after you drove off, I went to talk to Happy."

"Juice!" Maria's voice was strained, as she thought her fears had been true. "I told you not to make a big deal out of this!"

He shushed her quickly and continued speaking, not paying any attention to her interruption. "I found him in the bathroom..." He steeled his gaze and looked into her eyes. "... with some other girl."

Maria rolled her eyes and muttered, "He could have at least waited a few hours." She let out an angry breath, then turned to Juice. "It doesn't matter. He's a big boy. He can make his own decisions and be with whoever he wants." When she saw the doubt in Juice's eyes, she hastened to reassure him. "I'm serious, Carlos. I thought I already made it clear that what happened between me and Happy was a one time thing."

"Look, Mia-"

"Juice, if you say one more word, I'm going to find something to stab you with."

He rolled his eyes and let out a sigh, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "I'm just looking out for you, Mia. I didn't want you to hear it from someone else."

"I know." Her head fell on his shoulder, and she closed her eyes for a bit. "You've gotta leave the Happy thing alone. I'm an adult, Juice. I know what a one night stand is, and I'm telling you, that's what I had with Happy. Get over it and move on. You're bugging me with this overprotective big brother thing you have going on. It's not needed."

He frowned at her, but nodded his head. He'd stop talking about it if that's what she wanted. Just as he was about to get off the crate he was sitting on, she started speaking again, a teasing quality to her voice.

"Besides, it's not like it was Happy's fault. No one could resist getting up on all of this." She motioned to her body with her hands, and Juice made a face before getting to his feet.

"And we're done here." He shuddered at the mental images and started walking around the corner, so he could get to his bike and avoid running into Beth. Her laughter floated after him down the alleyway, and then he heard the back door of the diner shut. If Maria was fine, then he was fine. Hopefully things were going to get back to normal now.


	7. I Can't Stop

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **Hey guys! Thanks to everyone who read, added an alert or favorite, and reviewed. We're really glad you guys are enjoying the story. Y'all will be pleased to know that the Charming guys will be showing up in chapter 9. The first scene has been changed quite a bit from the original post. Never realized how horrible and out of character everybody was, but hopefully that's been fixed. The changes don't affect the plot in any way, just makes it more readable. Enjoy!

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
****Chapter 7: Can't Stop  
**"_What I would give to have you look in my direction.  
__And I'd give my life to somehow attract your attention.  
__And I touch myself like it's somebody else.  
__Thoughts of you are tattooed on my mind, let me show you."  
_-"Can't Stop" by Maroon 5

_**July 3rd, 2001**_

Stepping off of the public bus, Maria let out a sigh and walked in to the lot at Tacoma Auto. Juice had borrowed her truck this morning, and she was hoping she would be able to pick it up. The fact that she didn't see it parked anywhere in sight didn't bode well for that idea. She groaned in frustration, silently cursing Juice as she headed into the clubhouse. The only people inside were Fish, Bronne, King and Mack. They were playing pool and filling the room with rowdy laughter. The Vice President of the charter was nowhere to be seen, for which Maria was grateful.

Things between them had been playfully awkward, the lack of alcohol in her system bringing back her common sense and rational thought. There was nothing wrong with what they did, it just made normal conversations between them a little weird at times. Thankfully, Happy didn't talk much anyways. If it weren't for Juice's constant reminders of their drunken night, she probably would have forgotten about it already. At least, that's what she told herself.

A crash snapped Maria out of her reverie and brought her attention to the men in the room. Bronne was laughing and Fish was putting a stool back upright, while Mack was cussing like a sailor. His try at a pirouette had been unsuccessful, resulting in a very unpleasant collision with his stool. They had stopped playing pool, opting to dance around the room instead. The radio was playing a song that Maria didn't recognize, but the guys seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it.

It was then she noticed the half-empty liquor bottles that littered the bar and nearby tables. She added together alcohol and the guys' weird behavior and easily deduced that they were completely wasted. At four in the afternoon no less.

A smile blossomed on Maria's face as she watched them, shaking her head at their antics. They were acting like kids, goofing off and having fun. Although Bronne and Mack weren't the best of dancers, they were able to hold their own, whereas poor Fish was failing miserably. The two bigger men were shoving him around the place, and he even fell over once after being tripped by King.

As Bronne began to sing along to the song, Maria rolled her eyes and walked to the stereo. She hit the search button and waited until it reached a station she new quite well. As the hard beat of the Latin music filled the room, the guys stopped and started yelling.

"What is this shit?" King asked, leaning heavily against the pool table to stay upright.

"It's real music. Fish, come dance with me. I'm going to show you how it's done."

The moment those words passed her lips, she had not only Fish's attention, but the attention of all the other guys.

"You know how to dance, sweetheart?"

She threw Bronne an incredulous look, raising one of her eyebrows. "I'm Puerto Rican, of course I know how to dance." That shut him up and she turned back to Fish, who was looking like he was about to be tortured. "Relax, it won't hurt." Maria have him a reassuring smile. "Now put your arm around my waist."

"What?" He interrupted her, his eyes wide. She rolled hers in return, repeating herself.

"Put your arm around my waist, Fish." He did as he was told and looked down at her, awaiting further instructions. "Okay, when I take two steps back, you take two steps forward and then three steps back. Got it?"

"Yeah, got it." His voice shook a little and his forehead glistened with sweat. The whistling and hollering of the other bikers didn't make things easier, but Maria was determined to at least teach Fish a few steps.

"Okay, are you ready? On the count of three."

He nodded his head and she started counting. When she got to three, she started walking backwards, making two small steps. She was pleased that Fish started with her, but her smile quickly turned into a frown. The tall man took two big steps forward, stepping on her feet and causing her to stumble and almost fall.

King, Bronne and Mack howled with laughter, clinging to each other for support. Fish's face turned a deep shade of red, and he frantically started apologizing.

"I'm sorry, Maria! I'm so sorry! I knew this was a bad idea."

"It's okay!" She smiled at him and straightened up. "Let's try again, yeah?" She stepped toward him, and he hesitantly took his position. The second time around wasn't as bad. Fish managed to find his footing and didn't step on Maria's toes. He was still a bit stiff though, his back as straight as a board.

"See, you're doing great! Just loosen up a bit, will ya? Get into the beat."

His face split into a smile at Maria's words, and he made an effort to relax his muscles. His hands slipped a little lower on her hips as he began to move the music, and that was when he noticed Happy for the first time.

He was leaning against the closed clubhouse door, his arms crossed and his gaze stony. Kozik, the charter's Sergeant at Arms, was standing next to him with an amused expression on his face, but Fish didn't pay him any attention. He was focused on Happy, whose eyes promised Fish he'd suffer through many unpleasant things if his hands continued on their journey.

Fish hastily released Maria and stumbled back, stuttering out excuses and apologies. "Oh shit, dude. I totally didn't mean anything by it. We were just dancing."

Happy rolled his eyes and took a step forward, causing Fish to scramble behind the bar to put an acceptable distance between himself and the bald man. "Like you could steal a woman from me," the Vice President mumbled as he grabbed one of the half-full bottles of tequila from the bar and took a large drink, his fiery eyes trailing over Maria's body as she stood blushing. She wasted no time as she excused herself from the room and went directly to the bathroom to collect her thoughts and escape his stare.

Happy watched her walk away, groaning inwardly as her body swayed, until he was brought back to the present by an annoyingly smug voice coming from his left.

"Man, tell me you didn't hit that before I did? Just look at that ass!" Kozik stared at where Maria had turned the corner, then smirked at Happy, who was glaring at him. "You did, you sly dog."

"Shut up." The growl meant danger, and if the speaker was anyone other than Kozik, he would have been running for his life. The Sergeant at Arms just smirked, showing his dimples and a cocky grin.

Kozik laughed when Happy turned his back to him and started walking away, a sour expression on his face. Whistling after the Vice President a few times for good measure, he made his way to the bar and sat on a stool. "Gimme a beer, Prospect. And make it fast!"

Happy made his way to the bathroom just so he could get away from Kozik. The blonde was like a brother to him, but he could be very annoying when he wanted to be. It was just Happy's luck that Maria would be in the clubhouse when the Sergeant at Arms got back.

Kozik had been doing business on the East Coast that had lasted longer than expected. He should have been back weeks ago, but had been delayed helping another charter with an issue of theirs. Happy had seen him coming into town earlier that day and had returned to the clubhouse with him, only to find the prospect with his paws all over Maria.

Finding them close together like that, dancing, had driven him mad. She'd done something very similar to that with him just a few weeks prior.

Except their dance had been horizontal and involved a bed.

Meanwhile, Maria stared at herself in the mirror, splashing her face with water. She had come to the realization that Happy was affecting her more than he should be. It wasn't healthy and definitely was not what she needed right now. After taking a deep breath, she had started out of the bathroom so she could tell the guys to relay a message to Juice and get the hell out of dodge.

She was so focused on getting out of there that she didn't hear the biker coming down the hall. Maria collided with Happy, his large hand gripping her arm to steady her. She stared at a spot on his chest for a minute, avoiding looking into his eyes. When she couldn't do it anymore, she lifted her head, meeting his heavy gaze.

"You okay?"

She sucked in a sharp breath when he spoke, but nodded her head. "Yeah, fine." Trying to step away from him, she felt his hold on her tighten. When he didn't say anything, she opened her mouth to continue, only to have him press her up against the wall, his face very close to hers. "Wh-what are you doing?" Her breathing became ragged, her mind fuzzy.

"What's it look like I'm doing?" His lips were a breath away from hers. Without waiting any longer, he kissed her, his mouth hot and demanding.

Maria didn't waste any time in responding. She was a weak woman when he was around. She couldn't resist him and the pull he had over her. Their tongues battled and his hands explored, running over her sides and slipping under her shirt. He hiked her up into his arms, breaking the kiss only to give the same treatment to her neck.

With a comfortable hold on her, he started walking to his room to avoid any interruptions. There was no way he was stopping this, and if they continued out on the corridor, someone was bound to pass by and see them. He entered his room and shoved the door closed with his foot, quickly dropping Maria on the bed. His hung his cut off the side of a chair, then tossed his shirt and boots to the floor. He joined her on the bed and kissed her again, hands roaming.

She was burning up inside and his touch was driving her insane with need. Foreplay was not needed; merely looking at him got her all hot and bothered. They had been playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse since their previous bedroom encounter. Happy was too proud to admit he wanted Maria again, and she was too afraid of him to do the same. But now that those admissions were out of the way, and he was touching her again, she couldn't wait for round two. Their labored breathing was the only thing that could be heard in the room. When her shirt and jeans joined Happy's clothes on the ground, he looked at her, his eyes dark with lust. His gaze promised that he'd do delightful things to her, making her flush even more with anticipation.

* * *

_**August 22nd, 2001**_

Maria pulled into the empty parking lot of Tacoma Auto, pleased to find that there were only a handful of bikes present. She had talked to Happy a few days ago, letting him know that she had finally finished the drawing for his bike and would be able to paint it on whenever he could part from the machine for an afternoon.

Happy and Juice walked out of the garage to greet her as she got out of her truck. "Where is everybody?" she asked curiously, knowing she probably wouldn't get a straight answer.

"Out," Happy said with a small smile, effectively telling her that it was a top secret club thing.

"Right. So why aren't you guys 'out' with them?"

"We will be. As soon as you hand over the keys to your truck." Happy grinned at her as Juice stood awkwardly in the background. He still wasn't used to the odd relationship evolving between the club's Vice President and his best friend.

"The keys to my truck? Why would I give you those?"

"Because I want collateral in case something happens to my bike while it's here, alone, with you." Happy looked down at her with a smirk as she laughed. "And there's no way I'm gonna ride bitch with anyone, _especially_ him." He gestured over his shoulder to the young computer nerd.

"We certainly wouldn't want that," she teased, tossing her key ring to him. "But I better not see any scratches on it when you get back." She moved to the bed of her truck to grab her bag of airbrush equipment. "So where is that lovely bike of yours?"

Just as her hand touched the fabric of the bag, Happy reached around her and picked it up, hoisting it over his shoulder and motioning for her to follow him. "I put it in bay four, so hopefully you'll have some peace and quiet." They arrived at said bay, and Happy sat the bag down gently next to his bike. He whistled and Bear walked in from the next bay seconds later. "You're on guard duty," he said, pointing his finger at the large dog, who wagged his tail excitedly in response. "Don't let her ruin my bike." Happy then turned to face Maria, crossing his tattooed arms over his chest. "I told the mechanics that you'd be in here, so they shouldn't bother you." He moved closer, and she had to crane her neck upwards to look at him. "But if they do give you any trouble, call me."

She nodded and he watched her for a minute, making sure that she understood what he was saying. "I'll be fine," she said reassuringly, smiling up at him. He leaned down to place a brief but passionate kiss on her lips before giving her a wink and jogging to the truck.

Maria watched as they headed out of the lot to join the rest of the bikers at some secret location. She turned into the garage, waving at Tank, the chief civilian mechanic, as he entered the bay next to hers. Pulling out her equipment, she mumbled, "Looks like it's just you and me, Bear." Looking over, she realized that the dog was already fast asleep a few feet from the bike.

When she finally got around to the design half an hour later, she started by making an outline of what she planned to draw. It was sometime in the middle of this process that she got her first interruption.

"Woah, what the fuck are you doing?"

Maria jerked at the sudden noise, causing the brush to leave an unattractive line across the surface of the bike.

"Oh my god!" The voice behind her became even more panicked, and she turned to see a hysterical Fish, his hands fisted in his hair. "What have you done? Hap is gonna kill us all!"

"Fish, relax."

"Relax?" His voice seemed to go up a couple of octaves as he paced frantically. "You've ruined Happy's bike!"

Maria laughed and set her tools down before getting up and placing herself in front of the prospect. "Fish, do you honestly think that I would purposefully ruin Hap's bike, knowing full well what his reaction would be?"

"I don't know. You women are crazy!"

She smiled and picked up her sketchbook to show him the picture that would eventually appear on the motorcycle. "Happy wanted me to paint the club logo on his bike. I should be able to finish this afternoon if I don't have too many distractions." She gave him a pointed look, hoping he would take the hint and leave her in peace. His expression remained skeptical, and she sighed. "You don't believe me, call him."

Fish stared at her for a moment, and then pulled out his cellphone and dialed, his eyes not leaving her as if he expected her to disappear should he look away. "Uh, hey Hap. It's Fish." He paused briefly, then stuttered as he tried to collect his words quickly. "Erm, is Maria supposed to be painting your bike?"

She watched him with a raised brow and arms crossed against her chest, knowing Happy would most likely be very annoyed with the prospect for bothering him. Fish swallowed and closed his phone without saying goodbye, and Maria could guess that Happy had hung up on the young man after giving him a concise answer. "You're good."

Maria nodded her head knowingly, but couldn't stand the dejected look on his face. "I'm sure Happy is grateful to have someone so alert watching out for his bike. You never know what could happen to it."

Fish snorted and rolled his eyes, but nodded nonetheless. "Yeah, I'm sure he is." He began to walk out of the garage, but turned back to her at the last second. "Just... don't touch anything else."

Maria saluted him as he left, then looked at Bear, who had gone back to sleep seconds after being woken. She sighed, then picked up her airbrush and started trying to fix the obnoxious streak that had now dried over her masterpiece.

The rest of the afternoon went on without much interruption. A few of the mechanics would come in searching for a tool, but all of the bikers, sans the prospects, had been elsewhere. Fish came to check on her progress occasionally, afraid she would mess it up if he didn't keep a close eye on her. She was just about to add the final layer of glaze on top of the art when a large group of bikes came roaring into the lot, her old truck ambling in after them.

Maria swore under her breath; she had planned to be finished by the time they got back. She picked up the airbrush and switched out the color canisters, crossing her fingers in hopes that they would go straight to the clubhouse and not bother her for a while.

"Hey Maria, guess what!"

'_So much for that idea,_' she thought wearily. "You got arrested, didn't you?" she asked distractedly, not even bothering to glance at her friend.

"What? No."

Bear barked suddenly and got up, tail wagging as he ran out of the bay excitedly, signaling to Maria that his owner was near. She looked up, ready to face the Vice President head on if he didn't like her work. But her eyes never made it to their intended target as she caught sight of a hardly-recognizable Juice.

"What the _hell_ did you do to your head?" she yelled, taking in the short mohawk and lightning bolt tattoos that adorned Juice's skull. She was pretty sure those hadn't been there when he left.

"That's what I was _trying _to tell you!" He rolled his eyes, his excitement not deterred by her outburst. "Guess who is the newest prospect for the Sons of Anarchy Tacoma charter." When she stared at him blankly, still in shock by his drastic new appearance, he started pointing to himself, the ecstatic smile never leaving his face. "Me!" he finally said, looking as though he were desperately trying not to jump up and down with joy. In the background, Happy rolled his eyes as he bent to pet his beloved dog. "Aren't you excited?" Juice asked, rocking on the balls of his feet in barely-contained excitement.

"Why are there lightning bolts tattooed on your head, Carlos?"

"It's part of my new look. Isn't it cool?"

"You look like a punk," she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Happy laughed and entered that garage. "I think that's the point." He slapped Juice on the back, then pushed him towards the clubhouse. "Go get to work, grunt." Juice nodded and the pair watched him bounce merrily out of the garage. Once the new prospect was out of ear shot, Happy turned to look at her, a guarded expression on his face. "How do you feel about all of this?"

Maria sighed and looked to the ground, shrugging her shoulders. "He's excited. How can I say 'no' to that?"

He gave her a smile and wrapped a tattooed arm around her shoulders. "Let's see this bike." Dread filled Maria once again as he steered her to face the motorcycle. He stared at the new art, and just as she thought she would die from anticipation, he grinned down at her. "Don't worry, it looks great." She let out a breath and smiled. "Can I take it for a ride yet?"

She shook her head and moved back to her equipment. "I still have to put a coat of glaze on top so the paint doesn't come off."

He grunted and shoved his hands in his pockets, searching for a cigarette and finding none. "Come find me when you're done."

"And then you can treat me to dinner for all of my hard work."

He smirked devilishly and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her in close. Dropping his lips to her ear, he whispered, "I think we should skip straight to dessert."

She laughed as his five o'clock shadow tickled her neck. Pushing against his chest, she replied, "Maybe after dinner."

Happy growled and captured her lips in a dominating kiss. It took her only a moment to respond, as he pushed her against the metal container that separated one bay from another. Before things could advance any further, a phone began to ring and Happy groaned in annoyance.

He pulled the device from his pocket and put it to his ear, removing his lips from hers just long enough to mutter, "What?" He continued their kiss even as Maria tried to pull away to allow him proper space to have a conversation. He sighed and ended the kiss, speaking quickly into the phone. "I'll be right there." He snapped the phone shut harshly and pocketed it, staring down at Maria blankly.

"I know," she said softly. "You gotta go."

He grinned and began backing out of the garage. "Find me when you finish. I'll think about that dinner."


	8. Knowing Where They Stand

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **We've added one of the previously posted one-shots to this chapter, the one about the shower. The original chapter just wasn't fleshed out enough and the time jumps left too much of a gap in the relationship, so the shower scene helps to add a bit more to the development. This is the final relationship-building chapter. The action and the actual plot will start in the next chapter, although there are some hints in this chapter if you pay close attention that will foreshadow future events. The Charming boys will show in the next chapter too. Enjoy!

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
****Chapter 8: The House, the Dog, and the SUV  
**"_She really doesn't know where they stand.  
__Find a compromise or she'll walk away.  
__He really loves her, but then again,  
__He wants it to stay the same.  
__She really wants a change, but he wants to keep on..."  
_"Pointless Relationship" - Tammin Sursok

**October 18th, 2001**

Maria sighed happily as she stepped under the hot spray of the shower, letting it soothe her aching muscles and wash away the sweat from the previous night. With Juice diving head first into his new prospecting duties, he was bound by MC law to be on hand at the clubhouse whenever they needed him. So that meant every party night had him sleeping on any available surface at the bikers' hangout, to serve drinks during the activities and clean up once they ended in the early hours of the morning.

Which left Maria and Happy with an empty apartment to sneak off to after they put in their required time at the party.

Which led to lots of sex in lots of various rooms in many, many different positions.

Which is why she usually found herself in this same situation every morning – in the shower, letting the hot water work its magic on her tired muscles as she examined the bite marks and bruises leftover from their fantastically amazing night of sex.

The routine was always the same, always perfect. Happy would leave while she showered, she'd fix breakfast, and Juice would come home a little while later, none-the-wiser to what had transpired earlier.

Perfect.

Except that's not what happened this morning.

Lost in her thoughts, she failed to hear the creak of the bathroom door, the sound of boxers being dropped to the floor, or the shower door sliding open. It wasn't until cool hands trailed against the hot skin of her sides that she registered the second person in the room, squeaking as she jumped around to face him.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice high as his hands continued their exploration.

"Showering," Happy replied nonchalantly, moving them towards the wall to maneuver the spray of water to better cover them both.

"And what's wrong with _your_ shower at _your_ place?"

"Yours is closer."

"It's also occupied."

He smirked as he closed the distance between them, their naked bodies pressed firmly against each other as he leaned to whisper in her ear. "You sure weren't using that excuse last night when your bed was occupied and I decided to crawl into it anyways."

Maria giggled, accepting defeat as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "We haven't fucked in the shower yet, so I guess we might as well."

"I didn't say anything about fucking. I was just gonna shower." She laughed again, then pulled him in for a passionate kiss. "Well, if you insist," he mumbled against her lips.

Hands roamed across soft, wet skin as their tongues battled under the hot spray of water. Maria's fingers trailed lightly against the hard contour of tattooed muscles as Happy gripped her hips much the same way he had the night before. He shoved her against the cold tile of the shower wall and covered her body with his as she arched against him.

"You're so fucking hot," he growled, lips moving across her collarbone to her shoulder, then up her neck. He tangled his hand in her wet hair, wrenching her head back to give himself better access to her golden skin. Her fingers slid down his defined abs, creeping lower and lower until Happy grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head. "What's your hurry?" he whispered hoarsely, earning a groan of dissatisfaction from the woman.

"_Maria!_" She pulled away abruptly, her eyes going wide as her brain connected that the voice calling her name was not coming from the man in front of her. It was, in fact, coming from elsewhere in the apartment. "_Mia!_" She had no time to respond to anything before the door to the bathroom was flung open, and the tired voice of her best friend met her ears. "Oh good, you're home."

She shoved Happy up against the farthest wall, knowing the opaque glass of the door would still show two shadows should Juice bother to look hard enough. "What are you doing here?" she asked as innocently as she could, glaring at the naked man next to her as he smirked evilly.

"I live here," was the smart ass response she received as she heard the sounds of things being shifted on the counter as Juice presumably sat on top of it.

"Yes, yes, but you're home _early_. Why are you early?" She clamped a hand over Happy's mouth as he snickered at her exasperated tone. Whether she was exasperated at her friend's sarcasm or at getting interrupted mid-sexual exploit had yet to be determined.

"Eh, they didn't party too hard last night. But you and Hap sure checked out early." The amusement was clear in his voice as he fiddled absently with a bottle of lotion on the counter. "Start a party of your own at his place?"

"Yeah, uh, something like that." Mischievous hands began to roam across her skin, and she tried to quietly swat them away. "_Stop it!_" she mouthed vehemently to Happy as he smirked.

"I really don't know what you see in him," Juice continued on, oblivious to the happenings going on in the shower a mere five feet from him. "I mean, he's a cool guy and all, but he doesn't seem like your type."

She tried to ignore Happy as he pulled her closer, their slick bodies touching once again. She instead focused on her friend and his horrendous timing. "Are you seriously trying to have a heart to heart with me about my choice of men while I'm _in the shower,_ Carlos?"

"Well, you can't exactly escape the conversation if you're stuck in there, now can you?"

"_Carlossss_..." The elongated syllables were due partly to her frustration with his train of thought and partly to Happy's rough fingers as they trailed up the ridge of her spine. "Can we please talk about this later? I'm gonna be late for work." That wasn't a lie. She had, however, decided previously that it was okay to be late, when Happy had convinced her that morning shower sex was a good idea.

"Oh, fine. I did come in here for a reason though. I was wondering if I could borrow your airbrush equipment-"

"Yeah, sure, whatever," she said distractedly as lips nipped at the skin on her shoulder and hands caressed her sides. She'd agree to just about anything so long as Juice left the room and Happy continued what he was doing.

Juice narrowed his eyes, now fully aware that something was off that he just wasn't getting. It was then that his gaze fell to the floor, to the pair of blue boxers laying haphazardly on top of a pair of girly pink shorts and a tank top he was sure belonged to Maria. The connection clicked, and he hopped off of the counter quickly and backed away from the pile of clothes. "Oh my god... Hap's in the shower with you, isn't he?"

Silence reigned momentarily, the only sound coming from the spray of water hitting the tile.

"Maybe," Maria squeaked pitifully, causing Happy to bark with laughter, thoroughly answering Juice's question.

A disgusted groan was followed by the slam of the bathroom door, Juice's ranting about common decency meeting their ears and causing Happy to laugh even harder. Maria smacked his inked chest, trying to hold back a grin of her own.

"So, I guess shower sex is completely out of the question now?"

* * *

_**December 19th, 2001**_

It was way too early in the morning. People weren't on the streets and business owners hadn't yet started opening their shops. Tacoma Auto was still closed, the chain link fence surrounding the garage and clubhouse locked tight. Curtains covered every window of the building, not allowing any light into the rooms.

All except one that is.

The bright morning sun filtered through the lone window, casting shadows across the walls and lighting up the whole room. Maria groaned, turning around and burrowing deeper into Happy's side. She pulled the sheet over her head and shut her eyes tightly, trying to get back to sleep. Winter in Tacoma was cold, but the sun was out and shining nonetheless. She cursed herself for forgetting to close the curtains before going to bed. Happy was too distracting the previous night, and the thought had never even entered her mind.

Said biker grunted next to her and threw a hand across his eyes, unsuccessfully trying to block the sun. "Shit.."

Waking up next to him was nothing new for her at this point, and she knew he was awfully grumpy in the morning. That didn't stop her from quietly laughing at his misfortune. She sleepily blinked up at him, a smile across her face. "Good morning to you too."

His response was to glare at her and pull the sheet over them, still cursing. "What time is it?" His voice was raspier than usual due to sleep, and it sent a delightful chill through her.

"Dunno. It's early." The words were mumbled as Maria was busy outlining the tattoos on his chest. Not only did they fascinate her, but she also couldn't get the annoying question of what her and Happy were doing out of her head.

In the past, she wouldn't have questioned what was going on between them. It was just casual sex for her. But a few days ago, Bronne had nonchalantly referred to her as Happy's woman, and since then, he and King hadn't stopped calling her that. The words had brought some kind of longing to the surface. She was experiencing emotions that shouldn't have been there. Deciding to finally put her mind at peace, she used the early hour to her advantage. Happy wasn't exactly awake, so if she passed some kind of line with him, she could just tell him he was dreaming.

"Hey, Hap?" Her voice was hesitant at first, but at his confirmation, a manly grunt, she took a deep breath and continued more steadily. "What is this? What are we doing?"

At her question, the biker slowly removed the arm he had over his eyes and looked at her. Maria swallowed and did a mental shake of her head. Apparently he was more awake than she had anticipated.

"What are we doing?" At her nod he continued, trying to avoid the real question he knew she was asking. "We're waking up after enjoying three rounds of really great sex last night."

She rolled her eyes and kept pushing for an answer. He wasn't going to dodge this one. "Yes, I realize that. But what is _this_? Is it just fabulous sex? I don't care if that _is _all we are, but I need you to tell me that."

Happy sighed and wiped his hand over his eyes. "Women always need something," he muttered, before shifting himself to sit up slightly. "You wanna label this? Is that it?" She shrank a bit at his sharp tone. She was expecting him to tell her she was nothing more than a good lay, but she wasn't expecting him to be as cold. He sighed again and looked at her, softening the tone of his voice. "Look Mia, you don't need a guy like me. You need a doctor or a lawyer, someone who will provide for you, take care of you. Not me." He cursed under his breath and continued, the look in his eyes unreadable. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not the relationship type."

"I don't want a doctor or a lawyer, Hap." When he didn't say anything in response she sighed, but still didn't accept it. Maria needed him to say it, tell her she was nothing to him, so she could put her mind at ease and stop questioning everything she did, everything he did. "So tell me that this is just meaningless sex and we'll leave it at that." She watched him carefully, watched him close his eyes and think hard about the next words to pass his lips.

"We both know it's a bit more than that." He looked at her again, a smirk coming to his lips.

She smiled slightly and laid her head back to its original position on his chest. "I'm not asking for a declaration of love or anything, Hap, so you can relax. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't imagining something going on between us."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer, staring at the ceiling as the realization of what their relationship had become finally hit him. "No, you're not imagining things," he whispered to himself.

* * *

_**April 30th, 2002**_

Maria pulled the door to the clubhouse open and stepped inside, rolling her eyes at the sight that met her. It was no wonder Juice hadn't come home last night. He was currently lying on the pool table half-naked with a blond girl on top of him. There were a pair of bikers that she didn't recognize on the bar with a few sweetbutts. Bronne was on the couch with a girl, and King was on the floor with three. The rest of the club members seemed to have been coherent enough to make it back to their own rooms. Beer bottles, glasses, and red plastic cups littered every available surface along with pizza boxes and plates. She let out a sigh as she shook her head.

Maneuvering her way through the bodies on the floor, Maria headed to the small kitchen off to the side of the main room. She turned on the large, ten-cup coffee maker, knowing the guys would definitely need it when they woke up. She then grabbed a trash bag from under the sink and tried to pick up around the bar. She tossed the bottles in the recycling bin tucked almost out of sight and took the glasses to the sink. None of the room's inhabitants seemed to even register her presence as they continued sleeping.

Heavy footfalls from the hallway alerted her to a rousing club member heading in her direction. To her surprise, it was Boss, who was putting his cut on as he slowly walked into the room. He stopped when he saw her, then shook his head and continued into the kitchen.

Maria had spent the least amount of time around Boss. She found him to be the most intimidating of the group. He was never more than civil to her, and she thought he might not like her hanging around.

He came back out, a large mug in hand, and leaned against the frame of the door. "Thanks for putting the coffee on."

She tucked her hair behind her ear and looked nervously to the floor. She was pretty sure this was the first conversation they'd ever had. "I figured you guys would need it."

He nodded, then motioned to the bag in her hands. "You don't have to do that," he said, his deep voice carrying lowly across the room. "We got prospects for that shit."

"I don't mind. I've been picking up after Juice and his various friends for years."

He watched her critically, and she shifted under his gaze, moving past him and into the kitchen. "Ya know," he said thoughtfully, turning around to follow her with his eyes. "You've been nothing but trouble for me since the first time you set foot in this clubhouse."

She turned quickly to look at him, shock registering on her face. "Excuse me?"

"You're a sweet girl, Maria. What the hell are you doing hanging around a place like this?" She stood stock-still, trying to form words, but failing. "And this thing that you have going on with Happy? You do realize it'll only end in disaster, right? He's not the settling down type. He's not gonna give you a ring. You guys aren't gonna buy a tiny dog together. When he gets bored, he will leave you for his next hookup."

Silence filled the room as both parties stared blankly at each other. Maria leaned back against the counter behind her and tried to comprehend what he was saying. Sure, people had told her not to get involved with Happy in the past, but she thought that her and the biker's relationship was common knowledge by now. Everyone knew that they had something, some unnamed thing, going on. Even the sweetbutts didn't bother him anymore. She thought that everyone had finally accepted her being in this world.

"Look sweetheart, I'm not saying this to make you cry or anything. I just don't want a nice girl like you to get mixed up with a guy like Happy. He will hurt you at some point, guaranteed. Just ask all of the sweetbutts that have been pining after him for years." He sighed as he looked at her one last time. "Thanks again for the coffee."

With that, he turned and walked out of the kitchen, barking at the slumbering bikers to wake up and get to work. Maria was left leaning against the counter in complete shock at having found out that the Tacoma charter president did not like her being around the club. She sniffed back tears and tried to shake it off as she heard loud voices coming from the living room.

"Coffee! I smell coffee!" Bronne yelled, barreling into the kitchen in very little clothing. He completely ignored Maria as he grabbed hastily for a mug.

As he was pouring himself a cup, King stumbled in looking a bit worse for wear. "Well, good morning beautiful," he said with a hint of a slur, winking at Maria as he tried to stay upright.

Maria grinned at the playboy as he passed her on the way to the coffee pot, her original purpose for coming to the clubhouse overshadowing the previous conversation. "I need someone to fix my truck," she said, looking expectantly at the pair. Both men rolled their eyes and left the kitchen, coffee in hand. She followed after them quickly with a sigh, noting that the room had been vacated of its previous occupants. "Guys," she drawled out with a whine. "It's making a funny clicking noise when I get above twenty five."

"Then I guess you'll just have to drive slow," Bronne said grumpily as he threw himself on the couch and closed his eyes. King sat down gingerly next to him and grinned up at her with a shrug.

"But I don't wanna drive slow," she groaned as they continued to ignore her and threw her hands in the air.

"Why don't you go wake Happy up?" Bronne mumbled, not bothering to open his eyes. "I'm sure he'd love to help."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said a deep voice from behind them. A surprisingly sober Mack entered the room looking quite awake. "I think he drank a whole bottle of tequila last night." He walked up to a pouting Maria and slipped an arm around her shoulders. "What's wrong, darlin'? These boys givin' you a hard time?"

"My truck is making this weird clicking noise, and I need someone to fix it. These idiots-" she kicked Bronne's legs from their position on the coffee table, causing him to curse, "-are too hungover to do anything at the moment."

The pair on the couch mumbled incoherently as they tried to go back to sleep. Mack only laughed and began to lead her outside. "C'mon, let's go have a look at it." He stopped long enough to yell for Fish to get his ass outside, then they exited the building.

Thirty minutes later, after Fish had finally managed to back Maria's truck into the garage, Mack had successfully determined the source of the clicking noise and had set the prospect to work fixing it. Maria was leaning against the front of the vehicle talking to Fish as he set about replacing some faulty parts.

A soft growl and a set of hands on her sides alerted her to Happy entering the garage. She giggled as he kissed his way down her neck, his hands trailing up her body. "You just woke up, how could you be horny already?"

"You know I love it when you wear those shorts," he whispered as he turned her around and captured her lips.

"Yep, don't mind me. I'll just pretend I can't see you guys," Fish muttered under his breath, causing Happy to flip him the bird. "Oh, that's real nice." Happy lifted Maria up and moved to set her on top of the counter.

"What the hell did I tell you guys about doing that shit in the garage?" Boss yelled, stomping into the room with a scowl on his face.

Happy groaned and set Maria back on the ground. She blushed and tried to hide behind the man in front of her, remembering all too clearly the conversation she had had with the charter President less than an hour ago. Happy grinned wickedly at his friend and leaned down to Maria's level, whispering loud enough for Boss to hear. "He didn't say anything about not fucking _behind _the garage."

Boss glared at the pair while Maria gasped, slapping Happy on the chest. "We will do no such thing." Happy laughed and picked Maria up once again, this time throwing her over his shoulder. She squealed and slapped at his back, demanding that he put her down. He began walking out of the garage and Maria gave up her fight. "At least the view is good from back here."

Rolling his eyes at their antics, Boss turned and saw Fish watching them with a smile. "What are you looking at? Get back to work." Fish cleared his throat and nodded before returning to the car parts.

Happy and his cargo made their way through the clubhouse, receiving a few knowing smiles. Maria waved upside down at Vegas, who merely shook his head. As they entered Happy's room, he tossed her on the bed as he had done countless times in the past several months.

The events proceeded as they normally did, with clothing flying to the floor and the sounds of pleasure filling the air. But it was somewhere in the middle of this routine occurrence that the most unlikely of things happened.

Maria began to cry.

She began to sob hysterically, causing Happy to shoot up in surprise. He looked around rapidly for the source of her tears and, finding nothing, he looked at her in worry. "What? Did I hurt you?" This seemed to only make her crying louder and more violent. He moved off of her and situated himself on the edge of the bed, afraid to touch her for fear of making it worse. "Mia? What's wrong?" He had no idea what to do and no idea what had caused this sudden outburst. He also had no idea how to handle it.

"Everything is wrong!" she shouted between sobs, pushing herself into a sitting position. "Your friends hate me, my only friend loves you, and I don't fit in here!" She began wailing, and Happy tried to shush her, which only made it worse.

"Maybe I should go get Juice," he said hesitantly and tried to stand from the bed.

"And now you want to leave me! Oh, everything is so wrong!" She pulled the covers over her head and curled into a ball. Happy stood with wide eyes, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

"Definitely going to get Juice." He turned and quickly fled the room, shutting the door behind him. He paused in the hallway and shook his head, wondering if he was just dreaming. But a sharp wail from behind the wooden door told him he was indeed awake.

He jogged into the main room to a round of comments about his previous activities. "That was quick, brother. Even for you," Kozik said with a laugh. Happy ignored him and walked straight to Juice, grabbing him by the back of the shirt and dragging him down the hall. "I didn't know you were into threesomes with guys, Hap!" The blonde shouted after them.

"What the hell, Happy? I'm really not interested in joining you two." Juice looked up cautiously, wondering what the Vice President would need him for at the current moment.

"I need you to go in there and fix Maria."

Juice stared at him blankly for a few minutes, then replied, "Excuse me?"

Happy rolled his eyes at the prospect's lack of understanding and tried to explain again. "She just started bawling her eyes, and I have no fucking clue what to do. I need you to go fix it."

The shorter man snickered and crossed his arms. "Maybe you're just not as good as you used to be. You are getting a bit old. Ow!" Happy smacked him across the back of the head and shoved him towards the door. "Alright, alright. I'm going."

He carefully opened the door and was greeted with silence. "Maria?" he asked softly, poking his head in the room and looking around. When he didn't see her, he turned back to Happy, who motioned for him to continue his journey inside. Juice rolled his eyes and stepped in, then shut the door behind him. In the quiet of the room, he could now hear the water running in the bathroom and walked towards it. "Mia?" he asked again, louder this time. "I'm coming in." He turned the knob and braced himself, before entering the room. What he found surprised him.

Maria turned to look at him from her position in front of the sink, smiling. Her eyes were slightly red from crying, but she was no doubt smiling.

"Gosh, I can't believe Happy went to get you." She shook her head and turned back to the sink, shutting the water off and drying her hands on a towel.

"Are you okay?" Juice asked, incredibly confused. He was expecting to see Maria in tears, cussing about how Happy had done something horribly wrong and she never wanted to see him again.

"I'm fine. I had a bit of a meltdown. I think I scared poor Happy to death."

"Just a little. You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I promise I'm fine. It's just this conversation I had this morning and... I'm fine. Really."

Juice nodded and backed out of the bathroom. "Well, I guess I'll go inform Hap of the prognosis." Maria smiled at him as he left the room and turned back to the mirror.

Outside, Happy looked at Juice expectantly. "Well? What's wrong with her?"

"Good news. You didn't break her. Surprisingly, it's not your fault. She said it was about something earlier and that she's fine, and she didn't mean to freak you out. Problem solved." Juice began to walk off but Happy's voice stopped him.

"Wait, that's it? She bawls, you go in, and now she's fine?" He threw his hands in the air and groaned. "This is why I fuck hookers." Juice shrugged with a smile and headed back down the hall, leaving Happy to stand awkwardly outside of his own room. He contemplated on entering, then told himself that he didn't want to deal with a crying woman. But Juice had said she was fine. "Oh, fuck it." He barged through the door, half expecting Maria to start yelling at him about not putting his dirty clothes in the hamper or something.

Maria exited the bathroom to find a perplexed Happy staring at her. "Hi," he said lamely, unsure of what to do.

She smiled at him warmly, a complete one hundred and eighty degree turn from what she had been ten minutes ago. "Hi. I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to freak out on you. It's just been kind of a weird day and... yeah well, I'm sorry. It wasn't anything you did."

He looked at her carefully, wondering if this was just a clever ploy that was going to end with him getting his ass chewed out. He stopped only momentarily to ask himself why he even cared about this one girl when he had dozens, but the thought flitted away as quickly as it had come. "So, you're over whatever that shit was?"

She nodded and moved forward slowly as to not startle him. "I promise. No more scary outbursts."

He watched her, then nodded with a sigh. "Fine, but the guys don't hear a word about this. In fact, we need to go make sure your idiot friend doesn't open his big mouth." She laughed and wrapped an arm around his waist, following him out the door.

* * *

**Authors' Note #2**: Do Hap and Maria seem a bit strange and out of character? There are reasons for that, which will all be explained very soon.


	9. House Rules

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **We hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It has been completely re-written, which is why it took so long to get up. The original was just awful. It's really the last of the lovey-dovey, fun stuff. And we finally get to see a few of the Charming fellas! I hope to have the next chapter up wayy sooner than this one. It really just depends on how much re-writing it needs. But reviews make me want to edit faster. *hint*hint*

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
****Chapter 9: House Rules  
**"_So you're tired and you're beat, and you worked all week,  
__and you need a place you can let it go.  
__Where the girls go wild and the boys play hard,  
__and you need a little more than just the radio."  
_- "The House Rules" by Christian Kane

_**May 25, 2002**_

"What's that?"

"A car battery," Happy replied slowly, hoping Maria's question was out of boredom and not just a serious lack of car knowledge.

"Cars have batteries?"

He shook his head, suspicions confirmed, then motioned her over to the old Toyota he was working on. "Time to go back to school."

"But I just graduated," she whined.

"Yeah, well, you obviously didn't pass basic mechanics."

"I didn't _take_ basic mechanics," she muttered in response as he positioned her in front of the car's engine.

"Welcome to Auto 101."

"Do I get an automatic A for sleeping with the teacher?" she asked, batting her lashes up at him.

"It might get you some extra credit," he replied with a rough whisper in her ear, then ruined the moment by turning them back to their work. "This is a car battery." He pointed to the black, plastic square he had carried out of the stock room moments before.

"Yeah, got that part."

"It makes your car run. It also dies. Usually at the worst times." He moved over to the old battery still firmly attached to the engine. "Thankfully, they made these really easy to get out... most of the time. Some cars have them under the engine and you have to go through the tire well to get to it. Real pain in the ass."

She stared at him blankly, idly wondering if there was going to be a quiz later on. Should she be taking notes?

"Anyways..." Happy said loudly, trying to redirect her attention back to the task at hand. "To get it out, all we do is pull these plugs off-" he narrated as he demonstrated, "- then pop off the brackets, then just pull it out." He lifted the battery with ease before chucking it into a nearby bin, where it landed with a resounding thud. "Hand me the new one."

Maria leaned down to pick it up off the ground, groaning at the unexpected weight as she struggled to lift it. "Holy fuck..."

Happy rolled his eyes and grabbed it from her with one hand. "You're kind of pathetic," he said, completely unimpressed.

"Thank God I'm cute," she replied as she leaned against the car heavily and grinned at him.

An hour later, Maria was at the stage where she could finally tell a wrench from a pair of pliers. She had helped Happy fix the car and managed to learn a few things while doing it, not to mention that they had had a bit of fun too. Happy had made sure that she would never be able to wear that particular outfit again, using every opportunity he got to get her covered in grease and oil. Just as she was reaching for the rag Happy kept in his back pocket to clean her hands off, there was a commotion on the street.

The loud roar of a group of motorcycles could be heard, the sound getting closer by the second. She was curious to see who was riding, since all of the Tacoma guys were either working in the garage, traipsing around the parking lot, or drinking beer in the clubhouse. She didn't have to wait long to get her answer, as four shiny black bikes rolled into the lot. They parked right along the other bikes and their riders got off, getting rid of their helmets.

The guys that were in the parking lot all greeted them warmly with hugs and handshakes. Maria saw a familiar reaper on the cuts of the new arrivals, along with words that identified them as Sons from California.

When he saw the bikes pulling in, Happy quickly left her, saying he'd be right back, and made his way to an older man with curly black hair.

Tig grabbed him into a hug, slapping him on the back in greeting. "Hey there, Killer."

"Brother." He returned the hug with a smile. A voice from Happy's right made him turn his head.

"Hap." A young, blonde man stood looking at him with a grin. Jax had changed since the last time that Happy had seen him. His shoulders were more broad, his hair much longer, and he walked with a new air of confidence. The thing that caught Happy's attention though was the brand new patch on the younger man's cut – Vice President.

"Vice President, eh? You're moving up in the world, kid." Happy said it lightly, the friendship they shared evident.

"Had ta' get tha' patch sometime, didn't ya, Jackie boy?" The Scottish accent was heavy, making the speaker obvious. Chibs was leaning on his bike, a grin plastered on his face. "Happy."

The man nodded in greeting, barely sparing a glance at the unfamiliar face that was standing next to the Scotsman. Turning back to Jax, he gave him a questioning look.

"We need to talk to Boss. Business."

"Right." Happy motioned with his hand, and Jax and Tig followed him. Throwing a glance behind him, he took notice of the tall man with Chibs again. "That your new prospect?"

Jax also looked behind him, and then shook his head. "Nah, that's Kyle. Patched him in a few months ago."

Tig snorted. "Not the brightest tool in the shed, that one."

They entered the clubhouse, the door banging shut behind them, cutting off the rest of their conversation.

Maria watched the whole exchange from afar, taking note of how close all the guys looked. Now she understood what Juice had been looking for, why he liked it here so much. He craved to be a part of some close knit group, a family. There was nothing like that for him back in Queens. Even though Maria thought the two of them were more than fine on their own, it hadn't been enough for Carlos. There was no doubt that he loved her dearly, just as she did him, but he needed to belong, and that hadn't happened back home. He didn't fit there, not like he did here. And she was secretly thankful that Juice had found what he was looking for in Tacoma. She did too, in more ways than one.

Smiling at her last thought, Maria wiped her hands on a moderately clean rag that was lying next to the tool box. She then picked up a bottle of water from the small refrigerator and made her way to one of the picnic tables near the garage. Bear trotted happily after her, the bikes having woken him up.

Maria took a seat at the table, the dog lying at her feet, and took a long sip of her water. She leaned her head back and enjoyed the warm May sun as it hit her face. It was a nice change from the cold weather of the last few months.

She took another drink and looked down at Bear, patting him on the head. Lost in her thoughts and the warmth of the sun, it took her several seconds to register her name being called from across the lot.

"C'mere, Cupcake!" Bronne shouted, waving his hand to gesture her over to where he stood with one of the newcomers by the row of bikes. "This Puerto Rican beauty is pretty good with bike art," she heard him say as she and the dog approached the pair, noticing that they were admiring the design she had finished on Bronne's motorcycle just last week.

"Do ya draw tatts too? I could always use a new one a those." The Scottish accent distracted her momentarily as she tried to form a response. He was older than her and much taller. The muscles of his hands and arms were well-defined, and Maria could guess that he had been some kind of athlete when he was a bit younger. She also noticed the scars on his face, which made him look more handsome, more dangerous. That thought was quickly wiped from her mind when he smiled, a broad, genuine grin.

"Well, I've never done one, but I'm sure I could give it a go," she replied hesitantly, not sure if she had just dug herself into a hole.

"Chibs, Maria. Maria, Chibs," the Tacoma native introduced absently. "You could make a fortune if you started charging people for this shit." He paused briefly, then continued as a second thought occurred to him. "But not me, of course. I should get free stuff cause I'm your favorite." He grinned broadly at Maria, who raised her eyebrows in mild disbelief.

"Let's see... you never offer to fix my truck. You call me weird pet-names-"

"They're cute!"

"-you always tease me about Hap-"

"Oh yeah! Did I mention that this is Hap's new girlfriend?" He gestured in Maria's direction with his thumb as he turned expectantly to his Scottish brother.

Maria threw her hands up in the air, then smacked Bronne's shoulder for good measure. "This is why Fish is my favorite," she muttered under her breath.

"Hap went an' got himself a real girl? Ya gotta be kiddin' me!" Chibs looked her up and down, as though this new information entirely changed how he saw her. "Yer a cute little lass, aren't ya? Not really Hap's type though."

"He has a type?" Maria asked curiously, turning to Bronne for an answer.

"Oh, no. Nope. No way. You are not getting me in trouble. Not gonna happen. I tell you, you go yell at him, he shoves my teeth down my throat. No thank you." Bronne held his hands up innocently, backing away from the other two.

"Alright, fine. Don't have an aneurism," Maria replied with a roll of her eyes. "I do have another question. The guy earlier that Happy was so excited to see. Black curly hair."

"Aye, thas' Tigger."

"Tigger?" she asked skeptically, hoping there was no weird, perverted connection to Winnie the Pooh involved.

But oh, if only she knew how weird and perverted the SAMCRO Tigger could be.

"Name's Tig. Been goin' by tha' for years. Couldn' tell ya where it came from."

"Right," she replied, still thinking of a possible connection to the children's cartoon. "So what's their deal? They seem close."

"They're both batshit crazy," Bronne said with a snort, as though that fact were obvious. "Both taken way too many shots to the head. They don't see the world quite like the rest of us."

Before Maria could ask for clarification on his less than enlightening words, Fish stuck his head out of the clubhouse door and whistled for the two Sons to join him inside. After a quick grin and a wave, she was left to ponder this new information on her own, wondering exactly which piece she seemed to be missing of the puzzle that was Happy Lowman.

* * *

A party to celebrate the arrival of SAMCRO was in full swing that night, with the essential loud music, hot food, and cold beer. Bikers and women from up and down the coast filled every available space in the clubhouse and even spilled out into the lot due to the relatively nice weather. Maria chose to stay close to familiar faces, avoiding any newcomers that might prove to be troublesome. Happy had disappeared a few minutes ago, leaving her with a slightly tipsy Tig Trager.

Maria had decided that she really liked the Charming Sergeant at Arms. He was funny, if not a bit insane. She loved watching him interact with Happy, the friendship they shared very different from the rest. They were close on a level that she had yet to figure out, but she didn't question it. Also enjoyable was the obvious tension between the black haired man and their own Sergeant, with snarky comments and glares being thrown between the two at every opportunity.

Happy followed Boss into the Chapel and closed the doors behind him. He took his seat at the big oak table and pulled the ashtray in front of him, taking a drag from his cigarette. Boss sat at the head of the table, his hands clasped on top of it. He said just one name, not elaborating further.

"John Donovan."

Happy wiped his face with a hand, sighing. He was tired of this old fuck causing problems. Since that night in front of the diner, things had been running relatively smooth, with only a minor glitch here and there. But snitches never stay quiet for long.

"What's the stupid shit done now?"

"He's flipped on us. Withholding information again. Taking money under the table."

"Shit!" Happy banged a fist on the table. The last thing he wanted was to waste his time on that sleazy old man. "When am I doing it?"

Boss studied him closely before replying, "We leave at eight in the morning, so don't get too drunk tonight."

Hap looked at him curiously, wondering why the boss had included himself in the outing. "We?"

"Yeah, we."

"Who's we?" Happy was getting impatient. There was no 'we' when something of this nature needed to be done. There was just 'he'. _He_ always worked alone on these types of jobs.

"Me, you." Boss paused for a few seconds. "Tig. We."

"Tig?" Since when did he need a babysitter, not to mention two, while on a job?

"Yes, Tig." Boss shrugged his shoulders like it was a common occurrence for Tig to go do a job with Happy. "He offered, said something along the lines of things being too quiet in Charming. He needs some action."

"Fine then. I'll see you two at eight." He sharply turned on his heel and left the room.

Boss sat at the oak table staring after his quiet enforcer. He drew a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it, inhaling the smoke deeply. He wondered if Happy would be able to do it, be the merciless killer that he always was. If something went wrong tomorrow and Hap wasn't able to go through with the job, the girl would have to go. She was messing with his head and Boss could see it. He'd be damned before he let the club suffer the consequences of Happy having a conscious.

Happy walked into the main room, people moving out of his way as he walked to the bar to grab a fresh beer. He looked for Maria and spotted the familiar head of long, dark hair in the crowd. The woman was sitting on a couch next to Tig, right where he had left her. She seemed to be enjoying the conversation she was having with him, laughing at everything he said. Knowing how talkative a drunk Tig could be, that situation didn't sit well with Happy. He made his way quickly over to the pair, raising his eyebrows as he caught the words "bra" and "stripper," followed by a burst of laughter from Maria. Tig smirked at her response, looking over her shoulder and spotting Happy coming towards them.

"Killer! Glad you're back." Maria turned to look at him, not able to contain a round of giggles that fell past her lips as her eyes landed on Happy. Tig wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she fell against him in a fit of laughter. "I was just telling Maria about that other girlfriend you had. What was her name? Cinnamon? Chastity?"

Happy groaned and rolled his eyes, then grudgingly answered. "Her name was Candy. And I wasn't _with_ her."

In between peals of laughter, Maria managed to get in a few words. "I can't believe you had a stripper stalking you. Well, I sort of can actually. But did she really handcuff herself to your bike while she was completely naked?"

Tig began to chuckle at the look on his friend's face. "At least I didn't tell her about the time you-"

"Shut up. Just... stop talking." Happy sat grumpily in the armchair across from the couch, glaring at the pair as they laughed together. This _definitely_ did not sit well with him.

The trio sat and talked for the next few hours, with Maria trying to pry funny stories out of Tig, and Happy threatening to kill him multiple times. Just as Maria was about to get something out of Tig, a giant yawn escaped her and she realized just how tired she was.

"I think I'm going to head home. I'm exhausted." She stood up carefully, using the arm of the couch to steady herself.

"Tired already? It's only a little past ten, babe." Tig looked up at her with a smirk, trying to convince her to stay a while longer. "C'mon, you can make it a little later."

Happy, on the other hand, was scrutinizing everything about Maria. "You feelin' okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just really tired all of a sudden." She smiled at the pair, waving off Happy's concern. "It's just all the excitement."

Nodding his head, but not looking convinced, Happy replied, "Why don't you just crash in my room. You shouldn't be driving if you're that tired."

"Yeah, I think I might. Thanks. It was nice to meet you, Tig. You guys sticking around for a few days?"

"Of course. You can't get rid of us that fast." He stood up and gave Maria a hug, looking down at her with a mischievous expression on his face. "You need any help getting to bed?" He wagged his eyebrows at her, making her laugh. Happy was much less amused and used his foot to shove the coffee table into Tig's leg.

He cursed and glared at Happy, who's expression remained blank. "I was just offering to help, shit." Maria laughed and, with a last wave, headed into the back of the clubhouse.


	10. Life and Death

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **Please don't kill us when you're done reading. And keep in mind that Maria is 21/almost 22, Happy is 32ish, and they've been sleeping together on and off for about a year now. Keep an eye on the dates. The next few chapters will take place over a shorter time period than usual, like a few days. Cause some shit is about to go down.

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
****Chapter 10: Life and Death  
**"_Let's face the music, I think that it's time.  
__What's the use, when the future looks so unkind.  
__Life and death - the choice we make.  
__Revolution - the line in my mind takes."  
_- "Rage" by Erasure

_**May 26th, 2002**_

It wasn't the shuffling that woke her up, it was the annoying clicking sound coming from who knew where. Maria's eyes fluttered open and she groaned, being temporarily blinded by the light coming from outside. The sun was shining brightly, and when she looked at the digital clock beside her, she saw it was early, too early. Usually, she was one of the first people up, out of bed no later than seven. But today's shift at the diner didn't start until noon, and she had hoped to sleep in. The clock was reading seven-thirty, and she groaned again, sitting up.

Yawning, she scrubbed a hand over her eyes and looked around the room. Happy was sitting on a chair, a black bag open at the end of the desk in front of him. His cut was draped on the back of the chair and a bulletproof vest was hanging on top of it. She furrowed her brows, but her attention was drawn away from that as the strange clicking noise that had woken her up commenced again. She realized it was coming from whatever Happy had in his hands, and her eyes bored into his tattooed back for a few moments while she decided whether it was a good idea to see what he was doing.

She carefully threw the covers off of her and stood up, her bare feet making no noise on the floor. She took a few tentative steps forward and stood behind him, peeking over his shoulder. Maria's half-asleep brain could hardly process the small collection of guns that were laid out on top of the desk. Happy was in the middle of cleaning out a double barrel shotgun with uncharacteristically gentle care.

Maria opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated. What would she say? Good morning? Ask him how he'd slept? If he was planning to take her out for dinner later that night?

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly, breaking the silence of the room.

Happy turned at the sound and fixed his gaze upon her, his expression remaining blank. His intense eyes made her shrink back almost instantly. Finished with his task, he put the gun carefully into a duffel. He stood up and zipped the bag, then slid the vest on over his broad shoulders. He carefully circled around Maria, not even looking at her as he made his way to the dresser.

Maria stood rooted to the spot, her eyes darting from the desk and the bag of guns to where he was pulling out a sweatshirt from the closet. She knew that most of the guys preferred to carry guns with them, but she had never seen the weapons so out in the open.

She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing that when she opened them, she'd be somewhere else. Perhaps she had gone home last night, instead of staying at the clubhouse, and was now dreaming. Opening her eyes again, she saw the same old wooden desk, the reaper on the wall above it grinning sinisterly at her.

"Hap?" Her voice was quiet, and she almost thought he didn't hear her. Happy was on his way back to the desk when she had spoken and had paused for a brief second, assuring Maria that he had, in fact, heard her. "What's going on?"

The biker didn't acknowledge her at first. He put a holster on over his sweatshirt before turning around, looking her in the eyes. "What do you mean?"

The nonchalant tone he spoke with irked her, and she found it hard not to explode at him. "What do I mean? I think you know damn well what I mean!" One of his eyebrows rose, but he didn't reply otherwise. That made her even angrier and she put her hands on her hips, taking a step towards him. "I wake up and find you packing a bag of guns, looking like you're some kind of crazy executioner! What is going on?"

Her voice had risen a few notches, and if it had been any other day, Happy would have been quite amused. As it was, he was getting more irritated by the second. It didn't help a single bit that Maria had been spot on with her assessment of the situation. He _was _an executioner. He had hoped that Maria would be gone when he started getting ready. She didn't need to know what he was about to do.

During the course of the previous half hour, he had cleaned his guns and knifes, thinking about what he was going to do. It wasn't anything new to him; killing was what he did. He had killed plenty of people, never even batting an eye. John Donovan wasn't going to be a challenge.

One of Boss' contacts had told them that John had been giving information to a rival gang, thus successfully ruining the Sons' business deals. The contact had also provided the charter president with information on Donovan's current location. The snitch was shacked up in a lake cabin not too far from Tacoma playing house with his young mistress.

Happy had been so deep in thought that he hadn't heard Maria getting up, nor had he heard her approaching him. He had been surprised when she spoke, but many years in his position with the club allowed him not to show it. After looking at her for a few moments, he had quickly zipped up the bag with the guns and gotten dressed, ignoring her questions. He was more than ready to get out of the room, not expecting her outburst. He didn't owe her an explanation; he'd told her right off the bat that he wasn't a good guy.

"Are you done?" His voice was flat, emotionless.

"You're not going to say anything?" Maria threw her hands in the air. "You're seriously going to stand there and not say anything?"

"I gotta leave in a minute." When she continued to stare at him, he sighed. "What do you want me to say, Maria? You knew damn well what to expect when you got into this."

"Well, I sure as hell didn't expect to catch you preparing for battle!" She knew she was exaggerating, but she couldn't help being upset.

"This is what I do!"

She hadn't expected him to yell back at her and she paused for a second. Just as she was about to respond, there was a knock on the door. Happy sighed and opened it, revealing Tig and Chibs standing on the other side.

"We're ready to go."

Happy quickly turned at Tig's words and snatched the bag from the desk. He walked past Maria and out the door, not looking at anyone. It was obvious that he was angry. Maria was sure Tig and Chibs also saw it, even if by some miracle they hadn't heard the yelling coming from the room moments ago.

The two Charming bikers shared a glance before Tig focused his attention on Maria. He whistled, looking her up and down.

"Pity I have to go, but I'd sure like to see you waiting for _me_ dressed like that when I get back." A grin formed on his lips as he took in the shirt Maria had been wearing as pajamas the previous night. He looked up, his eyes connecting with hers. "Maybe without the shirt though. Would certainly make things easier." At that he wagged his eyebrows, a booming laugh escaping him when she blushed.

Chibs slapped him on the shoulder, also smiling. Then he pointedly looked down the corridor and back at Maria, raising one of his eyebrows.

"Ya plan on goin' afta 'im dressed like tha', sweetheart?" She looked at him for a moment, waiting for him to elaborate. "They'll be gone in ten minutes. Put some clothes on so ya can go and calm the killa'. Ya don't want him leavin' on a bad note, do ya?"

She shook her head dumbly and rushed to find her jeans, putting them on as quickly as she could. Moving past the pair in the doorway, she ran down the corridor and out to the lot, spotting Hap throwing his bag in the back of a large black van. She was vaguely aware that Tig and Chibs had followed after her and that the other guys were in the lot, but she didn't really care.

"Hap!"

His head snapped up when he heard her, and she quickly crossed the lot, closing the distance between them. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, sighing with relief when he put his arms around her, even if he had hesitated for a second. Maria buried her head in his shoulder and placed a quick kiss there, before whispering in his ear.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked about club business." She drew back from the hug and looked up at him. "You'll be careful, right?" She needed reassurance that, even if he was going out and shooting people, he was going to be okay. "You'll come back? In one piece?"

Happy nodded his head, his eyes never straying from hers. "Yeah, Mia. I'll be fine."

A small smile graced her lips and she rose on her tip toes, kissing him. Just in case. A few loud catcalls followed by a bunch of crude comments from the guys cut their kiss short though. Happy didn't appreciate it and he made sure the bikers knew it. He pulled away from Maria and glared at them, successfully shutting them up. He was just about to say something when Boss came out of the clubhouse. It was time to go.

Maria kissed him one last time, earning herself a disapproving look from Boss, and stepped away, leaving Hap to get in the passenger seat of the van. She hugged Tig when he passed her, looking at the Charming Sergeant at Arms with an unsure expression.

"C'mon, darlin'. Why the long face?"

"You're gonna look after him, aren't you? Make sure he gets back okay?"

Her plea caught him, as well as the other guys in earshot, off guard. She was glad that he nodded and gave her his promise, although he was finding it hard not to join in on the laughter that filled the lot.

"Enough with the sappy shit. Let's go!" Boss' sharp tone prompted Tig to jump in the van, and the group rode through the gate quickly.

Maria started on the way back to Happy's room, the other guys still joking around and laughing at her last comment.

"Hap need someone to save his ass? Yeah, right." King was the loudest, his booming laugh echoing to her ears.

"Yeah, and can you imagine Tig keeping Hap safe? Pshh, he'd only get Happy in more trouble!" Mack's voice was a close second after him.

She stopped at the door to the clubhouse, glancing one last time at where the van had been parked. She could almost see him standing there, tossing his bag of guns carefully into the back. Her mind flashed back to that first night she'd met him, when she had seen him holding a knife to a man's throat. She'd never been more scared in her life, _for _her life. And even if she knew him now, even if she had feelings for him, she couldn't help but wonder if she shouldn't have just packed her bags and persuaded Juice to move again. Happy had almost killed a man that night, and he might be getting ready to kill someone today.

Was it all worth it?

Yes, she decided. It was worth it.

But the feelings she had for Happy didn't ease her mind. All sorts of gory scenes from movies went through her head, making her press her hand to her mouth and run to the bathroom. She was going to be sick.

It was turning out to be an awful morning. Not only had she fought with Happy, but Maria had spent the next half an hour in the clubhouse bathroom, getting acquainted with the porcelain toilet bowl. She was glad that no one had come in because she looked awful.

After that dreadful experience, Maria had gone home so she could get ready for work. Now, feeling refreshed from her shower, she pulled into the diner parking lot. There weren't many customers, seeing as the lunch rush had just ended. Only a few people sat at the tables, namely kids that had just started their summer vacation. Greeting Kate, the other waitress that was working today, she went behind the counter and put on her apron. Elaine was busy in the kitchen, and Maria was amazed at her ability to look as cheery as ever.

The bell above the door jingled and Maria smiled, going to take the order of an elderly couple. She then went to drop it off at the kitchen, but as she approached the window, the smell of food assaulted her and she felt her stomach lurch. Shoving the paper at Elaine, she ran to the bathroom, almost trampling over Kate on her way.

Maria was never one to have a weak stomach, so she was sure that whatever she had eaten that caused this had to have been really bad. She heard the bathroom door open, but another wave of sickness came over her before she could call out to whoever was coming in. She was sure that she was going to die.

"Maria? Honey, are you okay?"

She heard Elaine's worried voice call out, but she didn't even bother to answer her. The cook entered the bathroom and pushed the door to Maria's stall open. Upon seeing the poor girl curled on the floor, hugging the toilet, Elaine's face twisted in sympathy. She gathered Maria's hair to keep it out of her face and patted her back, rubbing slow circles on it.

"There, there, dear. Just get it out. It's going to be fine." Her voice was soothing, and Maria almost felt better.

"Oh, God." A strangled moan came from her and she slumped on the floor, breathing hard.

"All done?"

"Yeah, Laine. All done."

"Come on then, let's get you cleaned up." She helped Maria off the floor, looking her over. "You're not going anywhere near the kitchen again today. Are you sick dear? Shouldn't you go get checked?" The worry that crept into her voice made Maria feel bad.

"It's nothing. I think I just ate something bad, and I've been paying for it all morning. I was so tired last night, I didn't pay any attention to the stuff I was eating."

"Baby… are you and that man of yours safe?"

"Safe? What do you mean safe? Why wouldn't we be safe…?" It didn't dawn on her at first, but when Maria saw the look Elaine was giving her, she understood what the older woman was talking about. Her shock was showing on her face, and she didn't even have time to be horrified by the idea of discussing her sex life with the cook. "Elaine! Of course we're being safe! What are you implying?"

"I'm not implying anything, darling, but accidents happen. Fatigue? _Morning _sickness? The drugstore is down the street. I think you should make sure." When she saw the young woman was about to protest, Elaine put a gentle hand on her arm. "At least do it to ease my mind."

"I'm not…" When she saw Elaine's worried gaze, Maria quickly gave in. "Okay." Sighing deeply she nodded her head. "Okay, I'll go buy a test."

She rinsed her mouth with water under the cook's watchful gaze, and the two exited the bathroom. Elaine looked at Maria and then at the door, telling her without words to get to the drugstore.

"Okay, I'm going."

Maria got her bag from behind the counter and made for the door, telling the other waitress that she'd be right back.

The drugstore was just down the street from the diner. The paint on the building was chipped and the store's sign looked like it was about to fall off, and Maria wanted to be anywhere but inside. The clerk was a middle-aged woman that looked bored beyond belief. She lifted her head when Maria entered, but quickly got back to her magazine, not paying any attention to the customer.

Maria made her way down the aisles, quickly scanning the shelves for the item she needed. When she found the tests, she took a moment to look at them, wondering which one to buy. There were so many of them, each one promising accurate results, each one with the word 'pregnancy' written in big, bold letters. She picked one out of the bunch that were near to where she was standing and went to the counter, nervously waiting for the clerk to look at her so she could pay.

The lady raised one of her eyebrows at Maria when she saw her purchase. "Aren't you a bit young for this?"

Maria didn't like her disapproving tone. This day was bad enough, and she didn't need to be lectured by some uppity drugstore bitch. "I'm old enough, thank you." Her answer was clipped and the clerk hurriedly rung up her purchase.

Paying and shoving the test in her bag, Maria got out of the drugstore and back to the diner as quickly as possible. She was beginning to feel anxious, but she knew there was no reason to worry. Happy and her had been more than careful. Elaine had to be wrong.

"Did you get it?"

Maria had barely entered the diner when the cook arrived by her side, getting straight to the point. She exhaled and gave the older woman a small smile, trying to ease her own nerves. "Yeah, I'm gonna take it when I get home."

"Good." Elaine was about to go back to the kitchen when she hesitated, turning back to Maria. "I'm going to take care of you, you know that, right dear? Everything is going to be just fine." There was finality in the older woman's tone that comforted Maria. She was glad Elaine had said that, even though there was no need for it. She was fine.

Entering her apartment hours later, Maria kicked her shoes off and went into the kitchen, throwing her purse on the table. There was leftover pizza on the counter, and she guessed that Juice had been home. The man never picked up after himself, leaving everything for Maria to clean. Typical male. She shook her head and took a bite from the pizza. Pouring herself a glass of water, she wearily eyed her purse.

After she had gone back to work, she had waited tables and avoided her purse like the plague, as if not thinking about the test would make it disappear. When her shift had ended, she had started home with a heavy heart and Elaine's words weighing on her mind. The cook wanted Maria to take the test first thing and immediately call her, either to ease her mind or to pile more worries on it.

So here she was, eating pizza and doing everything to avoid the inevitable. She had to admit that she was worried. Maria would never have thought about this possibility on her own. The fact that Elaine found it necessary to assure her that she wasn't alone, that she had support, made Maria's thoughts turn dark.

What if she was pregnant? What would she do then? Have an abortion? Give birth? No, that one wasn't an option, not with Happy. She was sure that he wouldn't want the baby. He didn't have a place in his life for a kid, not with the club. All of the parties, the women, the booze. Happy was too comfortable with all of that to give it away for her. For a kid.

Shaking her head and leaving the piece of pizza on the counter, Maria grabbed her bag and made her way to the bathroom. There was no point in torturing herself. Right now, there were too many variables, too many unknowns. She wouldn't worry before knowing for certain.

Getting the pregnancy test out of her bag, Maria quickly read the instructions and followed them explicitly, not wanting to mess anything up. The five minutes that she had to wait for the results was the most agonizing thing she'd ever experienced. All sorts of thoughts ran through her head, every one worse than the previous. Just as she managed to calm herself down, she'd look at the sink and see the stick, the whole process starting over. She was a mess, no doubt about that. Her nerves were on edge, and she was about to burst into tears. Either that or she was going to break something.

When the time to see the results finally came, Maria was almost in hysterics. She took a deep breath and hesitantly approached the sink, peeking cautiously at the test lying in the sink. She shook her head and scoffed at her actions, snatching up the stick quickly. This was ridiculous!

The courage she had just gathered quickly disappeared though, when she looked at the results. Her world shattered in that instant, and she couldn't hold it in anymore. Dropping the stick onto the counter, she slid to the floor, her hand covering her mouth. Huge sobs racked her body, the tears falling from her eyes in torrents. This couldn't be happening to her. Not now, not ever. She shouldn't have been put in this position, shouldn't have to put Happy in this position. What would he say? What would she tell him… Should she tell him?

She was turning into those girls from TV shows, the pregnant teenagers that don't know what to do or who to tell. The ones that were hesitant to tell the father, not sure what his reaction would be. Would Happy want the baby? Would he want her? Or would he make her get rid of it?

She curled herself into a ball, rocking back and forth. This was _not _happening to her. It simply couldn't be happening. Her mind flashed to the pregnancy test lying in her sink and she let out another sob.

There were two clear lines on the applicator. Pregnant. She was pregnant. Happy and her… they were having a baby.

* * *

Boredom.

That was what Happy was feeling at the moment. He was bored, irritated and itching to use the shotgun that was lying across his lap.

The drive to the cabin had been slow, the stop they had made at a gas station prolonging it even further. For the last hour, they had been hiding and observing the lake house, planning and waiting for the best moment to strike. John Donovan wasn't a smart man, choosing a location like this one. It was a good place to take your mistress, yes, but an awful place for a guy that had enemies. Cut off from the world, surrounded by woods, it was the perfect setting for a horror flick. Their job couldn't have been easier.

The young girl occupying the cabin with Donovan stepped through the front door clad only in a bathing suit and walked to the small lake that neighbored the residence. Boss motioned to Happy and Tig to follow him and quietly got out of his hiding place. Perfect, the mistress wouldn't get caught in the crossfire. Even more perfect, the chick had left the door unlocked for them. If that wasn't an invitation, Happy didn't know what was.

The bikers entered the cabin and Tig quietly pulled at the door, leaving it open just a crack. He got his gun out and peered through the opening, keeping watch. The Tacoma bikers continued further into the place, being as quiet as possible. That was unnecessary, they realized, when they neared what was presumed to be the bedroom. Water could be heard running.

The snitch was in the shower.

If this had been any easier, the guy would have just come to them with a blindfold and offered them a gun to kill him with. Everything was turning out perfect.

They entered the room and saw that it was indeed a bedroom. Nothing special: a bed, some hunting trophies, a TV, and a door leading outside. Another door lead to what was presumably the bathroom, as John Donovan's off-key singing could be heard coming from there.

"Go get him. I'll look for our money."

Boss didn't even bother to lower his voice and Happy nodded, cocking his shotgun. He barged into the bathroom, effectively scaring Donovan to death. Flinging a towel at him, Happy pointed his gun at John's face and fixed him with a stony gaze.

"Nice place you got here, John. It's a pity we can't stay."

"Shit! What… what are you doing here?" The words came out as squeaks and were jumbled, displaying the horror that the middle-aged man was feeling. He had gone as white as a sheet, looking as if Death had come to collect his soul. That wasn't far from the truth and John Donovan knew it. He was a dead man.

"Oh, I think you know why I'm here. Come on." Happy motioned to the door with the shotgun. "Out you go."

The two made their way out of the bathroom, the sight of Boss turning the bedroom upside-down greeting them. The mattress of the bed was flung to one side, clothes strewn everywhere. Bedside tables were overturned and lamps were laying broken on the floor, but there was no sign of the money they had come for.

"Kneel!"

It took Donovan a few moments to comprehend Happy's barked order, and the biker nudged him with the gun, bringing him to his knees. Then Hap circled to the other side, coming face to face with the older man.

"Where's our money, rat?" The shotgun was leveled at his head and Donovan swallowed, saying a prayer in his head. He wasn't a religious man, but he had never wanted for God to exist more than he wished for it now. "The money!"

"It's in the closet!" Donovan took a deep breath, unsuccessfully trying to steady his trembling voice. "There's a loose board. It's under there."

Boss didn't hesitate to check, finding the loose board quickly. A hole opened in the floor and inside was a black duffel bag, similar to the one they carried their guns in. Unzipping the bag, he peered inside, finding what they had come for. The money was there and the biker smiled, nodding to Happy.

"It's here. Finish it and let's go." Taking the bag and making his way to the door, the Tacoma president delivered a swift kick to Donovan's side, causing the fat man to land on his side. "I'll be waiting outside with Tig. Hurry up."

No sooner had he closed the bedroom door behind him, a loud bang was heard from the room. A satisfied smile came to Boss' lips and he cheerfully clapped Tig on the back. "Let's go Tigger. There's a party waiting for us."

He spoke too soon. They were almost out the door when they heard a piercing scream, followed by a second bang. There was no way Happy would need another shot to kill the snitch. Something had gone wrong.

Happy ran a hand over his head and looked at the body lying in a pool of blood and glass a few feet from him. The girl had come through the back door, and he had shot on impulse. He stepped closer, taking in her familiar features. She was tiny, with bronze skin and long black hair that was spread out beneath her. If it wasn't for all the blood and the glass around her, she would have looked as though she was sleeping.

Maria had looked the same when he had seen her the previous night, sleeping in his bed, her hair spread out in a similar fashion. The lifeless girl on the floor looked so much like Maria, the resemblance was shocking. He couldn't bear to look at her any longer.

It was like he had killed her, his Maria. He didn't see John Donovan's teenage mistress, he saw his own lover, dead on the ground. Her blood was staining the floor, making a pool around his feet.

"Fuck…"

It was a low moan, one that wasn't supposed to be heard by anyone. He ran another hand over his head and shook it. A minute, that was all he needed to realize that it wasn't Maria that was dead. He hadn't shot his Mia. She was safe back in Tacoma. After another minute, he had fully realized the affect she had on him. The monster, the killer - he was broken. She had made him a different man, and he wasn't sure that he liked it. He wasn't sure if he wanted it. He knew that he wanted her, but there was no way he was giving up what he was for the woman.

Loud footsteps were heard coming from the doorway and soon after, Boss and Tig burst through the door. Both had their guns drawn, both men's faces hard. When they surveyed the room and saw the damage, they lowered their guns.

"What the hell happened, Hap?"

Happy lifted his head and looked at Boss. He didn't want to leave the killer behind for Maria. Killing was the only thing he knew, the only thing he was good at.

"Nothing. I handled it."


	11. The Beast Is Ugly

**Disclaimer:** We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **Glad you guys enjoyed the last chapter. You might want to read over the last scene again because this one picks up right where 10 left off. The next few chapters take place over just a couple days, so keep an eye on the dates. Hope you enjoy this chapter, even though you'll probably hate what happens.

Oh and if you're the type of person that likes pictures to put to the names of all these OCs, there's a few links in our profile to who we personally envisioned for the characters while writing them. Feel free to use your own imaginings of them though.

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
****Chapter 11: The Beast Is Ugly  
**"_The secret side of me I never let you see.  
__I keep it caged, but I can't control it.  
__So stay away from me, the beast is ugly.  
__I feel the rage and I just can't hold it."  
_- "Monster" by Skillet

_**May 26**__**th**__**, 2002**_

All was quiet in the woods surrounding the small lake. The bright afternoon sun glistened across the still water. The birds whistled happily in the branches of the trees.

It was a stark contrast to the bloody carnage within the bedroom of the tiny wooden cabin.

Tig ushered the Tacoma bikers out of the cabin quickly and took off towards the black van hidden down the dirt road.

"What the hell was that?" Boss yelled angrily, shoving Happy as soon as they stepped outside of the cabin.

"Nothing," he said firmly, trying to walk past the charter president and follow Tig, only to be shoved again.

"Are you growing a conscience all of a sudden?"

Happy glared harshly and leveled his shoulders. "I got the job done, didn't I?"

"That's not the point! What the hell is going on in that head of yours?"

"She was just a woman in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"That's never stopped you before. But if it makes you feel better, next time you can leave the witness alive just because she has tits and let her ID you to the cops. Let me know how that works out for you."

"Are we done?" Happy asked, ignoring the jab. He once again tried to move towards the van as the other man spoke.

"It's that stupid bitch that you've been sleeping with, isn't it?" Happy stopped in his tracks, but didn't turn around. "Jesus Christ! I knew this was gonna happen. She's got you all twisted up. Your loyalty is to this club and that patch on your chest, not to a great lay."

Happy swung around sharply, his voice a hoarse whisper. "I can do my job."

Boss rolled his eyes just as Tig pulled up in the van. "We'll see about that."

"You guys gonna stand around and chit-chat or can we get the fuck out of here before somebody calls the cops?" Tig leaned out of the window, immediately noticing the tension between the two men. Happy grunted and walked to the back of the van, while Boss jogged to the passenger side.

For the four hour ride back to Tacoma, Happy sat in silence, ignoring any conversation from the front of the van. He was completely lost in his own thoughts after the events that had just taken place.

Boss had been right.

He had felt something after killing the woman. And it was because of Maria.

It wasn't really because of anything she had done. The snitch's woman had just reminded him so much of Maria that he had to stop, if only for a second, to make sure it wasn't her. And as thoughts of his own lady filled his head, so did the harsh realization that she knew very little about him. There was no way she would approve of his job within the club, of his almighty enforcer title.

She knew he wasn't the nicest guy she could have picked, and that he often showed up a little bloody and bruised. But she had no idea of the extent to which he was very much the club's go-to executioner. Not just for the Tacoma charter, but every charter within a twelve hour drive. He was the one that people called when they needed serious business handled efficiently and effectively.

She was bound to find out eventually. Then she would be out the door and rightfully so.

Maybe that was for the best.

* * *

_**May 29**__**th**__**, 2002**_

She had to tell him. She had to.

She couldn't _not _tell him.

The baby was his too after all. He had the right to know.

But would he want the baby? Hell, did _she _even want the baby? She was only twenty one. She wasn't ready for a baby. Would he make her get rid of it? She could never do that. Maybe she shouldn't tell him.

No, she had to tell him.

How had this happened? They had been careful every time. She stopped to think back on the multiple spur-of-the-moment fuck fests that Happy had instigated on different occasions.

Okay, so it's possible that they forgot once.

Maria sat rooted to the spot in her truck, which was currently parked in front of Tacoma Auto. She had been battling with herself for the past twenty minutes. To tell Happy or not to tell Happy?

Sighing, she quickly got out of the car before the courage left her. It had taken her three days just to work up the nerve to drive over here. She couldn't lose it now. She was going to find Happy and tell him that she was having his baby.

Closing the car door behind her, she stopped as a commotion unfolded in the middle of the lot.

"You can't expect me to pay this. All you did was change the fucking rims."

From her vantage point next to the truck, Maria could see somebody arguing with Fish. The poor prospect looked as if he were trying to calm the customer down, but to no avail.

"Sir, rims are really expensive. Especially the ones you ordered. We had to overnight those things from Japan."

The car in question was a bright red sports car, complete with racing decals and a shiny new set of rims on the tires. It sat patiently waiting in front of the garage for his owner that matched one hundred percent. The stranger had a red leather jacket, long scraggly hair, and sunglasses that probably cost more than Maria made at the diner in a week.

Overall, the guy looked like a total dick.

She tried to focus on her mission of finding Happy, but the car and the argument were blocking her path. She momentarily wondered when they had moved the sports car because it hadn't been sitting there when she pulled in.

Maria took a step forward, intent on taking the long way around the lot to get to her destination safely, when the clubhouse door burst open and a group of bikers walked out loudly. They had all apparently heard the commotion and were now curious about the customer causing problems in their lot.

Well, she couldn't go over there now. She would just have to wait quietly by her truck until this situation was resolved.

In retrospect, she probably should have waited in the car.

"What's going on?" Mack asked Fish, glaring at the stranger.

"He says we overcharged him for the new rims."

"Did we now?" Kozik asked rhetorically, all smiles at the events he knew were about to go down.

"Six hundred and fifty bucks for some rims is ridiculous!" The stranger yelled angrily, waving his hands around for emphasis.

"Your car is ridiculous," Happy growled from the back of the group, looking incredibly bored with the interruption. "Why don't you just pay the man and get the fuck outta here."

"Hey, asshole. Why don't you shut the hell up." The stranger was either oblivious to the fact that he was greatly outnumbered, or he was a complete idiot.

"What'd you say to me, punk?" Happy charged forward, his hand reaching for the ever-present gun in the waist of his jeans. He was stopped only by Vegas' firm arm that shot out against his chest.

"Relax, Hap." Happy cut his eyes at Boss' words, not eager to obey him at the moment. The charter president walked slowly towards the cocky young man who was so sure he was protected by some kind of government law.

But should he continue to open his mouth, there were no laws that would save him from these bikers.

"Look here, boy." It was obvious to Maria that Boss' patience was thoroughly annoying Happy, who looked like he wanted nothing more than to pummel the kid. "You can either pay the bill for the rims you wanted, or you can leave your car here until my guys have time to take them off and pay the labor bill for that. Either way, you're gonna give us some money."

"This is some fucking bullshit, bro."

Boss' eyes darkened at the term. "I'm definitely not your bro. You need to quit pushing your luck. Pay and get lost."

"Fuck you and your stupid gay biker boyfriends and your stupid fucking rims."

In a split second, Happy had tackled the man to the ground and was punching away.

From where she was standing, Maria could only see the biker's top half, but she was quite sure she didn't want to see what this guy's face would look like when it was all over. She stared in horror as the rest of the club members did nothing to stop Happy's attack. Sure, she knew he was one of the club's more aggressive members, and she had seen him use his intimidation skills the very first time they had met. But this was something entirely different. She had never seen this kind of rage from him before. What she could see of Happy was still throwing punches at the man on the ground.

On the other side of the car, Happy was swinging with blind fury. His fists were now covered in blood, and the punk's face was completely unrecognizable. What had started as a simple defense of him and his brothers had turned into a major stress reliever for all of the shit that had been happening the past few weeks. The man on the ground was no longer some punk with a big mouth.

He was Tig, who had gotten way too friendly with his girl.

He was the snitch, who's lady had landed him in hot water with Boss.

He was King, who had been teasing him endlessly about his relationship with Maria.

But most of all, he was Boss, who'd been doubting his loyalty to the club and ability to do his job for months now.

Happy knew that Boss had talked to Maria because she was now leery of being in the same room with the man. And that only made Happy even angrier. He was going to use this punk to take out all of his frustration that a punching bag at the gym couldn't relieve.

So in the moment, Happy barely registered Boss calling him off. "That's enough, Hap."

The voice only grated on his nerves even more, and his fists flew harder into the bloody face below him. The next thing he knew, Mack and Kozik were pulling him off of the unconscious man.

"Shit, Hap. You almost killed him," Mack said. Happy easily shook the two men off, but didn't try to resume the beating. He stood there breathing heavily, slightly disappointed when Kozik indicated that the punk was still breathing.

Boss sighed and motioned to Mack. "Get him to a damn hospital. When he wakes up, make sure he doesn't remember anything. And take the prospect with you."

Mack nodded dutifully and gestured at Fish to help him pick the punk up. "Let's get him in the back of the van," he said casually, looking towards the street to make sure the fight hadn't drawn too much attention.

Happy grunted and ran a hand over his head, still very wound up. He paced in tight circles as he tried to calm his breathing, but the mere sight of the bright red car sent him into another round of anger and frustration. He wasn't even mad at the punk anymore. The moment had just been the perfect opportunity to let it all out. But now he was having serious trouble reigning it back in. Self-control had never been a strong suit of his.

He looked past the sports car, hoping to push it from his memory. But what he saw brought it all rushing to the surface tenfold. The whole source of his current pile of problems. Maria.

Maria stood in her original spot, completely horrified by the act of violence she had just witnessed. She had never seen Happy like that before. His fierce intimidation and air of danger that usually gave her a deep sense of security now had her fearing for the welfare of herself and their unborn child.

No, her child.

There was no way that Happy could take care of a baby. Not now, not ever. His violent temper was not something that Maria wanted to have her baby around. She just wouldn't tell him. She could raise this baby on her own. Elaine and Juice would help and support her.

Juice. She hadn't even told him about the baby yet. He had gone with Bronne to Oregon for club business two days ago. She would tell him when he got back later that night. Now she just needed to get out of the lot while everyone was preoccupied. It was at that precise moment when her eyes met Happy's, the blood draining from her face quickly.

Happy growled and cursed under his breath, trying to control his anger. He moved towards Maria, but was stopped once again by Vegas' arm. The older man gave him a knowing look, but Happy shrugged him off and continued on his way. Vegas rolled his eyes and moved to the side of the lot, waiting for round two that he knew was about to go down. Boss stood next to him, the pair watching from a short distance as Happy approached the small girl.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Happy said roughly, quickly moving into Maria's face.

She swallowed and looked past the man as Mack and Fish tossed a limp body into the back of the club's black van.

"I asked you a question, dammit!" He banged his hand on top of her truck, his eyes boring wildly into hers.

Maria stared at him hesitantly, still in total shock over the last few minutes. "Jesus Christ, Happy. You could have killed him." It came out as a whisper as she stared at him. "What is your problem?"

"This is what I do! I hurt people. I always have and I always will. I'm not just a little short-tempered or aggressive. I fucking kill people. It's my job and I like it."

The gleam of excitement in his rage-filled eyes scared her and she took a few steps back, bumping into the side of her truck. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the fact that I'm a murderer. You remember the first night we met? When I almost slit that guy's throat? That's the real me. I'm a cold-hearted killer. I torture people for fun. This good man that you think you know? That's not who I am. Never was." His ranting turned frantic as the words he had been bottling up started to pour out. "I've tried to keep my shit away from you, to give you something better, but it's so hard. I'm tired of having to shelter you from what I really am – a sadistic killer." The anger coursing through him made the words fall from his lips in uncontrollable waves. It felt so good to get the truth out. He was so sick of hiding himself from her.

Happy closed the distance between them and stared down at her coldly, the words suddenly monotone and lifeless. "I could kill you in an instant. I wouldn't blink. I wouldn't give it a second thought." She stared in horror up at him, at the blank expression on the face of the man she thought she knew. "Is this what you wanted to hear? Every time you asked what I was doing, what was going on – is this what you wanted me to say?"

Maria shook her head slowly, trying not to let the tears fall down her face. Happy's eyes shot to the right as he felt a hand grasp his upper arm. "Let's go, Hap," Boss said carefully, looking from the biker to a shaky Maria. "You've done enough damage."

When she looked back on this later, Maria would marvel at the fact that Boss was the one to intervene, though not necessarily on her behalf. Happy snorted, but followed Boss toward the clubhouse.

"Oh, by the way." Happy turned around to face her, but continued a backwards trek, a wicked grin on his face that she didn't recognize. "That man you saw me almost kill? He was shot to death in his lake cabin a few days ago." It didn't take Maria long to figure out the connection between his statement and his disappearance that same day. Happy only seemed to laugh at her obvious shock, but entered the clubhouse before anyone could say a word.

Maria stared after him, completely stunned by his outburst. One half of her brain tried to play it off as his anger towards the customer, but the other half knew that had only been the start of it. Happy had used it as an outlet to say things he had been holding back. He had meant every word that he said.

He was a murderer. A killer.

A monster.

All this time, she had been in bed with someone that could have ended her life in a heartbeat. How could she not have seen it? She cursed herself for being blind to all of the obvious signs. She should never have gotten involved with him in the first place, should have listened to all the warnings.

She certainly wasn't telling him about the baby now. She could never subject a baby to that kind of man.

Her tears finally fell as it hit her that whatever was between them had just well and truly ended. All of her happiness had been shattered to leaned back against her truck and covered her face with her hands as reality set in.

She was pregnant with a monster's child.


	12. Decisions

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note**: Thanks to everybody who read, reviewed, and added us to favorites/alerts. This chapter picks up right where the last one left off, so again you might want to re-read chapter eleven to refresh your memory. And this chapter does take place all in the same day as the last chapter. We hope you enjoy it, but you probably won't.

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
**Chapter 12: Decisions  
"_Time to change has come and gone.  
__Watched your fears become your god.  
__Overwhelmed, you chose to run.  
__Apathetic to the stunned."  
_- "Your Decision" by Alice In Chains

_**May 29**__**th**__**, 2002**_

Vegas stood in the parking lot, watching Maria crumble from a distance. When he looked at her, he no longer saw the sweet and innocent artist. He saw a young girl that was in way over her head.

She was a wreck.

He felt sorry for her. Until now, he had thought that Maria was good for Happy, as she had made him calmer and more in control of himself. He had thought that the tattooed biker was good for her too – he looked out for her, treated her right, gave her the confidence she was previously lacking. But at that moment, Vegas realized there was a lot of work to be done if those two were to ever have a solid relationship.

The girl was leaning against her truck, wet tears cascading down her cheeks. Vegas just stood and looked at her for a few minutes, waiting for her to pull herself together. When that didn't happen, he sighed and made his way to the truck. Taking her by the arm, he helped her stand up and steered her to the driver's door. She looked at him with watery eyes, blinking slowly.

"Can you drive?" Her stare was blank, and he was sure that she hadn't heard a word that he said. He repeated himself a second time, and when that didn't garner a response, he took her by the shoulders and gave her a little shake. "Maria, can you drive?"

Focusing on him, Maria tried to clear her mind and nodded her head. "Yeah, I can drive."

"Good. Go home." In an attempt to reassure her in her frazzled state, he gently added, "I'll be right behind you."

Another nod from her, and she was slowly buckling her seat belt and starting the truck. Vegas shut her door and jogged to his bike, pulling out of the lot after her. He'd take her home, make sure she got in okay, then get back to the clubhouse. He needed a drink.

Thankfully, the drive to her apartment was short and uneventful. He was glad that she was trying to keep her cool, at least for a while. The last thing Vegas needed was for the woman to cause a car accident.

Parking his bike, he waited impatiently for her to get out and enter the building. When she hadn't moved a few minutes later, he sighed once again and got off of his bike, then crossed the lot to where the truck sat. Maria was staring straight ahead, lost in thought, so he knocked on the window and watched as she jumped in surprise. Realizing Vegas was waiting for her to get out, she unbuckled herself and opened the door.

She allowed the biker to lead her up the front steps and into the apartment complex. She was still out of it, the events of the day repeating themselves in her head. She saw Happy swinging at the customer, saw Mack and Fish carrying the bloodied body away, heard Happy's words loud and clear. He was a killer. More importantly, he _liked_ it.

Unlocking her door, Maria walked in and threw her keys on the kitchen counter. Vegas stopped just shy of entering the apartment and leaned against the door frame, watching the young woman carefully as she turned on the light by the couch and sat down. She put her head in her hands and shut her eyes tightly, letting out a breath. What was she going to do? There was no way she was telling Happy about the baby, not after what had happened. It was better if he didn't know, better for him, better for her, and most importantly, better for the baby.

She sat there and suddenly became aware of Vegas' gaze on her. He had been a stable figure in her life lately, even though he wasn't always aware he was helping her. He was the sensible voice of reason, her silent supporter. And here he was now in her apartment, trying to figure out if it was safe to leave her alone. For all the time she had spent in the clubhouse and around the bikers, Vegas was the one that she couldn't entirely figure out. He was quiet, never saying more than a few words at a time, and his presence was a bit menacing. He was one imposing figure, tall and muscular, and he wasn't one she wished to have as an enemy. And somehow, he tolerated her, and she would even go as far as to say that he liked her.

She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear the tired sigh that came from the biker. She didn't see him rubbing a hand over his head, looking at her with all the sympathy in the world. She did, however, hear him clear his throat. From the corner of her eye, she saw him shifting, looking over his shoulder and then back at her. It was obvious that he was getting ready to leave.

"Do you need anything?" he asked her quietly, casting another glance over his shoulder.

She shook her head, continuing to stare at the wall in front of her. Vegas nodded his head slightly and turned to leave, not making it two steps before hearing her speak.

"I'm pregnant."

Her words stopped him in his tracks and he turned around slowly to look at her. She was pregnant? That sure as hell complicated things. He entered the apartment carefully and sat down next to her, not quite sure what to think. Was she going to cry again? What was he supposed to say?

Vegas took a pack of cigarettes out of the pocket of his jeans and lit one, staring absentmindedly ahead. For a long time, neither of them spoke, both at a loss for words. In the end, Vegas was the one who broke the silence, his words a failed attempt at lightening the situation.

"I always thought Koz would be the first to knock some chick up."

Maria looked at him and cracked a small strained smile. She looked more pained than before, and the smile was soon replaced by her tears. She didn't want to cry and Vegas sure as hell didn't want her to cry, but there was nothing either of them could do about it. He awkwardly patted her on the shoulder, trying to provide her some kind of comfort.

"Have you told Happy?"

She shook her head adamantly. "I was about to when…" She trailed off and Vegas understood her. She had been about to tell Happy when the fight had gone down.

"Okay." Taking another drag of his cigarette he exhaled. "When are you telling him?"

She took in a sharp breath and her expression became determined. "I'm not." When Vegas' eyebrows rose in surprise, she hastened to add. "And neither are you."

"You can't keep it from him, Maria."

"I have to." The hesitation was clear in her eyes. She thought she was doing the right thing, but she was far from sure of her actions. "You saw him today, V. I don't want him around this baby when I know that he won't love it. He doesn't want a child. And I won't raise a baby around that kind of environment, with a father who kills people. Happy can't know."

Vegas sighed, wondering how in the hell he had gotten dragged into this shit. Relationship advice was not his area of expertise, but here he was. "You know Hap. Despite what he said, he's a good guy. He'll do right by you and the kid."

"I don't know a damn thing about Hap," she replied vehemently, her eyes hardening as she recalled his words saying that exact thing to her.

"What are you going to do then?"

She looked ahead and didn't answer his question for a few minutes, thinking. What _was_ she going to do? She was going to keep the baby, that's for sure. And she wasn't telling Happy. That was as far as she'd gotten in figuring things out. He was bound to find out, as she was going to gain weight and start to show in a few months. And as hard as it was for her to admit it, there was only one solution to the problem. Looking back up at Vegas, she fixed him with a resolved stare.

"I'm leaving."

* * *

Happy entered the clubhouse even more enraged than he had been in the lot. The beast inside of him was unleashed and even after the events of the previous twenty minutes, it still wasn't satisfied, it still wanted blood. The biker's wild eyes roamed around the clubhouse, and he grabbed the first thing they had focused on, a chair, and threw it across the room. It smashed against the opposite wall, pieces flying everywhere. He then grabbed a nearby table, turning it over without even sparing a thought to the bottles on top of it . The room, which had contained a few occupants moments ago, was now completely empty. No one wanted to be caught in his path.

The room was a mess by the time he was finished, the only surviving furniture being the pool table and a few upholstered pieces of furniture that didn't smash well. He stood in the middle of the carnage, looking around and breathing heavily. He felt spent, tired.

Happy hoped that driving Maria away was the right thing to do. He hadn't meant to do it, but the unplanned fight had led to an opportunity to safely get her away before things got worse around here. He was more than certain that he'd made her hate him, made her fear him, and he didn't regret losing his temper one bit. It was better this way.

A sudden thought entered his mind, a solution to his current problems. The girl cared for him, he was sure, but there was one man in her life that she loved even more.

Juice.

Deciding he had to follow through with the plan that had formulated in his head, Happy went to find Boss. He marched through the clubhouse door, finding the president sitting at one of the picnic tables smoking a cigarette. The lot was almost empty, a few mechanics working in the garage and no sign of Maria or her truck. Happy made his way to Boss, sitting down next to him silently.

"You finished destroying my clubhouse, brother?" Happy nodded slowly, staring at the row of bikes across from him. "Good. You know you're helping the prospects clean that shit up, right?"

Happy snorted at the response and turned his head to stare at Boss. "Speaking of prospects, I want to send Juice to Charming."

Boss' eyebrows rose at that. "Oh?" His voice was full of curiosity. "And why's that?"

"You know Maria will go wherever he goes." He wasn't one for bullshitting. For him, straightforward was the best way to do things. So he didn't make this out to be anything other than what it was. "I want her gone." He realized that the man in front of him wasn't the one that needed convincing.

Boss was momentarily speechless at this sudden turn of events. This was completely worth a trashed clubhouse. "It's done then." Happy nodded and moved to rise from the bench when the older man's voice stopped him. "Why Charming?"

He shrugged in response, not making eye contact. "Heard they're in need of a new Prospect."

"Mhm." Boss was mulling over his response. "Call Clay and set it up."

Happy nodded and watched as Boss got up from the table and headed towards the clubhouse. It was true, Happy knew SAMCRO didn't have a Prospect, but there was another reason behind his decision. One that he didn't deem necessary to tell Boss.

Tig was in Charming. He'd keep an eye on Maria for him, make sure she was safe.

He pulled his phone out, punching in Clay's number and listening to it ring as he waited for the Charming president to pick up. He'd set things up right away, so Juice and Maria could be gone as soon as possible.

"Yeah?" The gruff voice that came from the other end was hard to hear. It was obvious that there was a party going on in California. They'd started early.

"Clay, I need a favor." Soon after the words were said, the music and the voices from the other side of the line became muffled.

"Whatever you need, brother."

"I'm sending you a new Prospect. Heard you guys were hiring." Happy tried to use a little humor to mask the tension in his voice.

"You're sending us someone to do all the dirty work around here? How's that a favor to you?" Clay had little problem with that.

"I'm getting to that part. I need your queen to find me an apartment there." He paused for a second. "The prospect has… baggage."

"Is this baggage gonna cause me any trouble?" The last thing his charter needed was another source of drama.

"Nah, no trouble."

"Done. Send him our way. Tig's been itching for someone to torment. Like Kyle isn't enough."

"See you in a couple days then."

Snapping his phone shut, Happy pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lit one. The sound of approaching motorcycles a few seconds later had him focusing his attention on the garage gate. Happy didn't have to wait long before two bikes entered the lot and swiftly parked in the formed line. Everything was fitting perfectly into Happy's new plan. Bronne and Juice had returned.

Getting off of their bikes, the pair made their way to him, greeting him joyfully.

"It's good to be home!" Bronne's loud voice rang out in the lot, disturbing the silence. "Now, I'm gonna go indulge in some of the club's fine selection of booze and women." He winked at Happy and continued inside the clubhouse, his laughter echoing behind him.

"Hey Hap." Juice greeted him and made to follow Bronne, but Happy stopped him.

"Hey kid. Got some news."

"Yeah?" Making his way to the table, the younger man sat on the bench. "What's up?"

Straightforward was the best way to go. "Pack your shit." Looking him in the eyes, Happy steeled his gaze. "You're being transferred."

The prospect was completely speechless. Happy took one last drag from his cigarette and, stubbing it out on the ground, made his way to his bike. Juice shook himself from his shock just in time to see the man tear out of the lot with a loud roar. Since he apparently wasn't going to get any explanation from the tattooed biker, he figured the clubhouse would be the next place to look for some answers.

* * *

Transferred.

That was all that went through Juice's mind as he was driving home later that evening. He was being transferred. He'd found family here, and now he had to leave. He understood, really, he did. They needed a prospect in Charming, and Tacoma had more than was necessary. The thing that weighed on his mind the most wasn't that he'd have to leave the guys. It was that he'd probably have to leave Maria. For a long time, it had just been the two of them, but he couldn't expect her to pack her stuff and leave with him. She had a new life here, Happy being a major part of it.

Reaching his destination, Juice parked the bike and got off, looking up at the apartment building. The lights in the unit he shared with Maria were lit, and he could see a soft outline from the window. She was home and he smiled, hurrying up the steps. Pushing the door open, Juice noted that it wasn't locked, but didn't have time to scold her. He hadn't told her when he'd be home.

"Miss me?"

Maria was folding clothes, getting ready to start packing for her trip. She had been deep in thought and so fully concentrated on her task that his entrance had scared her almost to death. He laughed at her expression, surprise written all over her face. She hadn't expected him home tonight, but here he was now, reminding her of his constant presence in her life. How could she leave him? Quickly smiling as not to alert him that something was wrong, Maria put the piece of clothing she was holding on the table and got to her feet.

"Juice!" She embraced him, reveling in the comfort of his presence. "You're home! How was your trip?"

He hugged her too, the same thoughts running in his head. "I'm fine. The trip was great, Mia! Too bad you couldn't come. It was so cool!"

"Yeah, I can imagine." She smiled again, reclaiming her place at the table and continuing her task.

"Mia?" Juice sat opposite her at the table, swallowing and looking everywhere but at her face. "I have to tell you something. I… I'm being transferred." She looked up when he said the words, once again registering her surprised expression. "I'm moving to California." A pause. "In two days."

What? Was she hearing him correctly or was her mind playing tricks on her? "You're moving?" She repeated his statement, disbelieving. Juice nodded his head. "To California?" She was saying the words slowly, and he nodded again. "Okay… I'll start packing."

Maria hadn't picked where she was going to go to, but if Juice was moving to California, so was she.

"Cool." He smiled a big smile, but then backtracked, a thought entering his mind. "Wait, what about Happy? Don't you wanna stay with him?"

She swallowed thickly, looking at the table for a long moment. "Nah. We… we ended things."

"What? Why?" They had broken up? He wasn't gone that long, was he? When had this happened?

"Things just didn't work out, Juice. You were right after all." She shrugged, giving him a sad smile.

"Come on, I'm sure it's nothing serious. Things will go back to normal in a day or two." Juice never wanted to see her like this. He sure as hell hadn't wanted to be right about the two of them. "Just talk to him before you decide on coming with me, yeah?"

Maria shook her head, not even considering the idea. There was no way she was talking to Happy. Besides, her suitcases were already sitting open on her bed, waiting to be filled. "There's no point. Nothing good will come of it." She got up with the laundry basket in her hands. Making her way around the table, she bent down and kissed Juice's cheek. "Besides, you're the only man I need in my life." Smiling at him one last time, she made her way to her bedroom.


	13. Goodbye

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: ** For reference, Maria is about two months pregnant at this point and it has been almost two years since our story started. There will be a lot less time passing in the rest of the chapters, only a few months. Enjoy!

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
****Chapter 13: Goodbye  
**"_We say goodbye, I turn my back.  
__Run away, run away, so predictable.  
__Not far from here you see me crack.  
__Like a bone, like a bone, I'm so breakable."  
_- "Prodigal" by One Republic

_**May 30**__**th**__**, 2002  
Tacoma, Washington**_

Maria followed Juice out of the clubhouse with a box of his clothes in her hands. He had demanded that he carry the important computers and special geek gadgets for fear she might drop something. They put the boxes in the back of her truck with the rest of the stuff. "Please tell me that's it." Maria leaned against the tailgate of the truck, exhausted from the impromptu packing and moving they had done during the past thirty six hours.

"That's it," Juice said with a smile, hugging Maria close to him. "You're sure about this, right?" She pulled back slightly to look up at him. "This is your final chance to change your mind. Cause I don't mind helping you unpack all your stuff now. But if we get to Charming and then you decide that you can't be away from Hap or something, I refuse to help you haul all this shit back up here."

Maria laughed lightly and shook her head. "I'm sure, Juice. I'm not going to change my mind."

He rolled his eyes and replied, "We'll see about that."

She swung a playful slap in his direction, but he dodged it and laughed as he jogged towards his bike. Shaking her head, she absentmindedly ran her hand through her hair, trying to keep it together until they could get out of Tacoma. She had avoided Happy since their fight. Just a few more minutes, and then she would never have to see him again.

"Mia! Get over here and say goodbye." So lost in her own thoughts, she hadn't noticed the group of bikers that had come outside to bid Juice and her farewell. Maria smiled as King continued to wave her over, then obliged and approached the men. "You seriously weren't gonna come say bye to me, gorgeous? I'm hurt, I really am." Giggling lightly, she wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her to him.

"Hey, what about me?" Fish moved in for a hug as King released her, his lanky frame engulfing the girl.

"I'm gonna miss you so much, Fish."

"You're gonna come visit, right?" The prospect looked down at her expectantly, shaggy brown hair falling into his eyes.

"Of course I will." They both knew it was a lie, both knew she would stay away as long as Happy was here. He let her go and stepped back, excusing himself to help the escort group finish preparing to leave. She turned and was scooped up by Mack, who lifted her off of the ground in a giant embrace. "Holy shit, Mack. I can't breathe."

Smiling, he set her back on her feet and placed his hands on her shoulders, leaning down to look her square in the eyes. "Don't let those Charming boys pick on you too much, sweetheart. Show them who's boss."

Maria laughed and nodded as seriously as she could. "I'll make sure to do that. As soon as I get there." She spent the next few minutes saying her goodbyes to the rest of the bikers. It was much harder than she thought it would be. She had become friends with a lot of them and she was going to miss them more than she realized. At least she got to put off the two hardest farewells until tomorrow. Vegas and Bronne had kindly agreed to escort her and Juice on the trip to Charming and help them get settled in with the charter that resided there.

The goodbyes continued as she reached Kozik, who stood rocking on the balls of his feet with his hands shoved in his pockets. "You take care of Juice, ya hear? I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm kinda gonna miss the little fucker." He paused, a mischievous grin appearing on his face. "I'm also gonna miss looking at your fantastic ass, princess." Maria rolled her eyes, but smiled none the less. He ruffled her hair and then ran off, leaving her to face Boss for what would hopefully be their final conversation.

"You know, it's nothing personal." He stood casually with his large tattooed arms crossed over his chest. "You're a good kid, Maria. You'll find a nice guy to fall in love with some day. It just won't be Happy. I need him to do his job, and he can't when he's too worried about what you'll think of him."

Maria glared up at him, glad that she wouldn't have to deal with this shit any longer. "Well, congratulations. It looks like you got what you wanted." Their staring contest was interrupted as Bronne, Vegas, and Happy marched out of the clubhouse.

"Let's go, cupcake!" Bronne shouted, jogging across the lot to join the pair. He saluted the charter president playfully, then gently grabbed Maria by the upper arm before leading her over to the old Ford pickup. "You got everything you need?" he asked as he opened the driver side's door for her. She nodded and climbed into the truck determinedly.

As Bronne shut the door, Maria saw Vegas, Juice, and Happy getting situated on their bikes. "Wait a second, is Happy coming with us?" Maria asked hesitantly through the open window as Bronne backed away from the vehicle.

"Of course he is. You think he trusts us enough to get you from point A to point B safe and sound?" Bronne gave her a toothy grin before walking over to his own bike. With that, the men started their bikes and the group of five exited onto the street. Maria sighed and ran her hand over her face, settling in for the long drive that would hopefully let her start over. If she could only get through one more day with Happy.

* * *

_**June 1**__**st**__**, 2002  
Charming, California**_

The Tacoma charter had arrived in Charming in the early afternoon of the following day, much to the relief of everyone in the group. The previous night was spent at a motel and had been filled with tension from both Happy and Maria. The rest of the bikers were doing everything they could to not get between the two. After the standard greetings and introductions, Juice had quickly been whisked off by Jax, who had taken a liking to the young man when they first met just over a week ago. Bronne and Maria were by the line of bikes as Tig tried to convince them that he'd come up with the perfect design for the artist to paint onto the tank of his machine.

Further down the lot, under the shade of the Clubhouse's metal canopy, Happy stood with Clay and Gemma. The royal pair were rather curious about the favor they were doing for the Tacoma enforcer. "So what's her story?" Clay asked the biker, puffing on a cigar as he leaned against a picnic table.

"Her and the prospect have been traveling together for a while. Somehow got from Queens to Tacoma."

"She gonna bring me any shit?"

Happy shook his head, dark eyes glued to the girl laughing across the lot. "She's pretty harmless. Got a bit of a mouth on her sometimes."

Clay rolled his eyes and grinned. "Just what I need, another diva."

Gemma smacked him as he snickered. "Asshole," she muttered as he gave her a quick peck on the lips before heading inside the clubhouse. She smiled as Happy continued to watch Maria horse around with Tig and Bronne. "So, that's your little lady, huh? She's cute." Happy sent an empty glare to the biker queen, who merely scoffed at his reaction. "Don't even think about lying to me. What's going on with you two? I'm assuming the apartment was for her, but I haven't heard anything about you transferring down here." She pinned him with the motherly look that got him every time.

He sat on top of the picnic table and sighed, looking down at his hands as he rested them against his knees. "I have to do it, Gem. My responsibility first and foremost is to the club. And I can't focus on that when I'm around her. She's all I can think about."

"And you think sending her here is going to change that?" Gemma wasn't sure what to think about the killer's new-found heart, but for his sake, she hoped this girl wasn't as stupid as the man in front of her was currently acting. Although, judging by the fact that they were in this situation to begin with, her hopes didn't go far.

"I have to try." Happy looked up at her, his expression vulnerable for only a split second before returning to his usual stony mask. "This is what's best. For everyone." He stood up and turned to leave, only to be stopped a moment later by a hand on his forearm.

"You want to be an idiot about this? That's fine with me. But when you come looking for her in six months because you've decided that you can't live without her, don't say I didn't tell you so." She released his arm and smirked up at him, covering her eyes with a pair of dark sunglasses. "Did you ever think that maybe it's time to add to your responsibilities a little bit? Instead of throwing it all out the window?" With that, she turned and headed across the lot to the girl in question, who was still talking with Tig and Bronne. "C'mon, sweetheart. Let me show you your new apartment."

Maria looked at the matriarch with wide eyes, her initial fear of the woman still firmly present. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You didn't think the Tacoma VP's girl would have to find her own place, did you?" Tig grinned down at the confused Latina.

"The club has empty apartments, in case we ever need beds for more people than we can fit in the clubhouse." Gemma crossed her arms over her chest as she stared down the smaller woman. "And seeing as the guys in Tacoma find you rather important, you get the luxury of moving into one. You don't even have to pay rent. Isn't that nice?" She gave Maria a sarcastic smile and headed across the lot to her car.

In reality, the situation was nothing like that. Gemma had to do a bit of searching and a lot of threatening to get this apartment on such short notice. Happy was also currently giving Clay a large sum of money to pay for it. Young love, how sweet.

"She hates me," Maria whined, staring desperately up at Tig.

"Ah, just a little. She initially hates everyone. It's nothing personal." He paused momentarily, as if deep in thought. "Well, you are fucking one of her favorite Sons. It might be a tiny bit personal." She glared at his response before walking away from him to her own vehicle. "I was just kidding!" Tig called after her. "Sort of..."

* * *

_**June 2**__**nd**__**, 2002  
Charming, California**_

After a night of partying as only the Tacoma boys knew how, which had resulted in a late start the next morning, the returning members of the Washington charter were standing in the lot saying their goodbyes. Maria was glad that she had decided to head to her new home early last night because the men were looking quite a bit worse for wear. She had spent a little time getting better acquainted with the new apartment that her and Juice would share, which was much nicer than the crappy one in Tacoma. She kind of wished she was still sleeping safely in her room, as the tension between her and Happy was thick, even though they continued to stay on opposite ends of the parking lot.

Near the bikes, Happy was having an uncharacteristic heart-to-heart with Charming's Sergeant at Arms. "I need a big favor."

"Anything, brother."

Happy ran his hands across his shaved head and sighed, still not sure that he was doing the right thing. "I need you to look after Maria."

"You know I will. Won't let her out of my sight." Tig clapped his friend on the shoulder and took in his ragged state. "You sure you want to leave your girl here?"

"No." Happy didn't bother denying his thoughts to the man that understood him better than anyone. "I'm quite fucking sure it's a terrible, selfish idea. But I don't know what else to do."

"Have you tried talking to Maria?" He was shaking his head before Tig even finished his question.

"I blew up at her. Told her exactly what I do for this club. We're not on speaking terms anymore because she saw me beat the shit out of some guy. I couldn't fix it even if I wanted to. Besides, why the hell does a girl like that need to be with a guy like me?"

"Yeah, well, you hooked her in somehow. You'll be back to get her in no time."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?"

"Cause we know what we're talking about. Are we done with the sappy shit?" Both men nodded, an unspoken vow of silence to keep the conversation between them, and went about saying their farewells to the rest of the group.

On the other side of the parking lot, Maria was saying goodbye to the Tacoma bikers.

"It's been fun, cupcake." Bronne threw a large arm around her shoulders and crushed her to his chest. "I know you're going to miss this fine piece of ass. But you'll just have to move on and find somebody else as insanely hilarious and devilishly good-looking as I am. Good luck with that, though. I don't think anyone more amazing than me exists."

Maria laughed, but didn't let go of the bald man. "What am I going to do without you, Bronne?"

"Live a slow, miserable life with no amusement whatsoever and just have a general sucky rest of your existence?" She glared playfully up at him before kissing his cheek and giving him a final squeeze. "You take care of yourself, Maria," he said seriously as he released the girl.

"You too," she replied, smiling up at the man that had welcomed her into his world with open arms the first time they met. He had never doubted her place in his life and had always been honest and true with her. In the biker way of life, that meant a lot.

She moved to Vegas, teary-eyed before she had even reached the biker. He smiled as the woman hugged him fiercely, wrapping his own arms around her.

"I miss you already, V."

Vegas laughed and looked down at her. "I'll come visit. I promise." Maria met his eyes and smiled up at him. "You've got my number," he said seriously, pulling back from her to make sure that she was hearing him. "You need anything, you call me." She nodded as he continued. "I'm serious. You need me, I'll be here in twelve hours. Probably ten, if I speed."

Maria grinned at his mischievous look and hugged him once again. Vegas was a bit stunned by how hard this was on him. In the past two years, the woman had really grown on him. Even more so in the past few days. Life in Tacoma was going to be quite different without her and Juice.

"I'll see you around, kid."

After saying goodbye to Juice, Vegas crossed the lot and got on his bike, Bronne and Happy quickly following his lead. Maria was very excited to have escaped any sort of awkward farewell with the man. It seemed he had no intentions of having a final conversation, and that was just fine with her.

Just as the words had finished flitting across her mind, Happy met her eyes for what could be the last time. They stared at each other, neither one able to bring themselves to break the connection. The gaze seemed to say so much - _"I'm sorry it went down like this," "You deserve better," "I'll miss you." _

"_I love you."_

Tears filled Maria's eyes once again as Happy nodded to her in farewell. The men shouted final goodbyes, then started their bikes and headed out. Juice stepped up behind Maria and wrapped his arms around her, knowing it was hard for both of them to watch their family ride away.


	14. Moving On

**Disclaimer:** We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note:** Thanks for reading and reviewing! We're so glad you guys are liking all of the drama. Definitely more to come. No Happy in this chapter sadly, but we'll venture up to Tacoma in the next chapter and see how he's coping. For now, let's see how Maria is settling in to her new home. Enjoy!

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
Chapter 14: Moving On  
**"_Glance out the window, see the lines pass me by on the road.  
__I'm moving onward as another chapter unfolds.  
__And I wonder who will I love, and who will I see.  
__Most of all I wonder who will I be.  
__It seems like yesterday I had it all and nothing was wrong.  
__But the times are changing because I am moving on."  
_-"Moving On" by Weekend Excursion

_**June 6**__**th**__**, 2002  
**__**Charming, California**_

Three days.

That's the amount of time she had spent in the small California town. Three days and she was already going crazy. Moving wasn't new to Maria, after all that's what she and Juice had done ever since they left Queens. The only difference was that, this time, she hadn't wanted to leave. She had had a sort of family in Tacoma, a job, her own place. Her life had been looking up.

And here she was now, in a new town, with no family except Juice and no job. She had spent the last three days decorating the new apartment and looking for a job. Her search had proven futile, as there were no jobs for an artist and the local diners and restaurants had more waitresses than they needed.

All in all, her situation was looking pretty grim.

Currently, Maria was dressed in an old shirt and was painting, trying not to think of her problems. Juice was already fitting in with the charter and she was glad; he had been a bit sad about leaving Tacoma. Plus, Maria was happy about seeing Chibs and Tig, as the two bikers had proven to be great company, and the stories Tig liked to tell never failed to make her laugh.

Letting a smile cross her face at the thought of the Sergeant at Arms, she brushed back some hair that had fallen into her eyes, successfully smearing red paint on her cheek. That's how Tig found her, covered in paint from head to toe, but wearing a content smile nonetheless. The knocking on her door had been a bit unexpected, but the company wasn't unwanted.

"It's open!"

Entering the apartment, Tig raised one of his eyebrows at her appearance and leaned against the frame of the door to the living room.

"You know the front door is here so you can lock it, right sweetcheeks?"

Maria rolled her eyes at him, but other than that, completely ignored his question. "Hey, Tig. You need something?"

"Nah, just came to see how you were settling in." He examined her painting, whistling low. "You sure have that artsy thing goin' for ya. That looks nice."

"Thanks." She smiled at him, beaming. "It would be better if there was somewhere in Charming I could sell it, make some cash." She eyed him curiously. "You wouldn't happen to know of a gallery, would you?"

Tig pointed at himself after her question, a disbelieving look on his face. "Who, me? Baby, I wouldn't know an art gallery if it hit me in the face." Complimenting the girl on her painting was his way of being nice, when in truth he didn't know shit about art. She could have been painting like a third grader for all he knew. "Bobby might though. He likes this sort of…" He paused, searching for the right word. "…stuff."

"Oh… Can you ask him?" Maria wasn't a master at the puppy-dog stare, but she gave it a try. She really did need the income.

"Sure, I'll ask for ya." Chuckling, Tig put on his glasses. "Well, if you're getting along fine, I'll be going."

"So soon?" Juice hadn't been around much the last three days and Tig was the first familiar face she had seen.

Making his way to the door, he turned to look at her. "Club's calling, sweetheart. We'll talk more at dinner, yeah?"

"What dinner?"

"Prospect didn't tell you?" Maria shook her head and he frowned. "What an idiot."

"Oh, be nice. He's a bit… forgetful."

"Forgetful my ass…" Amused at his grumbling, she laughed and joined him at the door. "Gemma's having us all for dinner tonight. That includes you and the prospect."

"Okay… what time?"

"Be there by six-thirty." When she nodded, he took off his glasses and looked her in the eyes, a serious expression on his face. "Do not, by any circumstances, be late. Gem hates when people are late." He cracked a smile when he saw her swallow and patted her on the shoulder.

Turning around, Tig made his way down the hallway of the apartment building, stopping half-way to look at her. "And bring something for dessert, okay babe? It'll put you in Gemma's good graces."

And then he was gone, leaving Maria to stare at the empty hallway in wonder. Bring something for dessert? Looking at her watch, she saw it was nearing one in the afternoon. Sighing, she began going through the list of things she had to do before this dinner that was sure to be interesting.

* * *

"Get your ass out of my kitchen, Prospect, before I roast you and serve you for dinner!"

"But I'm not a prospect anymore!"

"You are if I say you are! Now get the hell out of here!"

Standing in front of the Teller-Morrows' front door, Maria and Juice exchanged worried glances. It was six twenty five, but the screaming that came from inside overshadowed Maria's relief of being on time.

After Tig had left her, she had rushed to the store for groceries, managed to prepare enough desserts to satisfy a small army, and get all the paint out of her hair and off of her skin. And all of that before six o'clock, which had left enough time for her and Juice to make their way to the president's family home. Maria was excited for the dinner because she hoped to meet some people other than the bikers, some that were a bit more on her level.

Now though, listening to the war that seemed to be raging inside the house, she was having second thoughts. She glanced at the desserts she was holding and back up at the door. Feeding a small army, indeed.

"Jackson!"

The female voice was heard again, full of authority. There was only one woman it could belong to and said woman scared Maria to no end.

The Latina spared another glance at Juice and found him looking at her. She wasn't the only one the queen got to apparently.

"Run?" Juice's voice had a bit of a tremble in it. He was supposed to be a badass biker, and here he was cowering because a woman was yelling at someone else.

Biting her lip, Maria nodded. "Run."

Turning around, each of them made for their respective vehicles. Maria was quickly walking to her truck and Juice was almost running to get on his bike.

The loud roar of a motorcycle coming down the street could be heard, but they both paid it no mind. They were almost out of danger, a few moments separating them from freedom.

Luck wasn't on their side, it seemed, as Juice tripped on the driveway and fell flat on his face, which caused him to lose precious seconds where his escape was concerned. Maria too, didn't manage to get away, as she had to drop the desserts in the passenger seat before she could get in the truck.

By the time the both of them were clear to go, the bike had arrived and the Son it belonged to had parked in the driveway, cutting their escape short.

Tig.

"Leaving so soon?"

The Sergeant at Arms' cheerful voice floated over the noise that was coming from the house. He got off the bike and moved to Maria's truck, opening her door.

"C'mon, babe. We don't bite… unless you want us to." He wagged his eyebrows and waited for her to get the desserts and get out, closing the truck door. Throwing an arm around her shoulders, he led her inside the house and yelled at the young man still standing in the driveway. "Hurry it up and get inside, Prospect, we don't have all day! And close the door behind you."

Jogging after them, Juice did what he was told. He watched Tig steer Maria into what he thought was the kitchen before being distracted by the rowdy group of bikers in the living room.

Leading Maria into the kitchen, Tig gave her a push in Gemma's direction and went to the fridge, getting a beer.

"You better get your beer and get out of my kitchen, Tigger."

"Yeah, yeah, mother. I'm out." He sent a wink in Maria's direction and went to join his brothers in the other room.

Maria looked around the kitchen and exhaled in relief when she saw she wasn't going to be alone with Gemma. There were three other women preparing dinner and a little girl was sitting at the kitchen table coloring.

Swallowing her nerves, Maria made her way to the queen and offered her the food she had made. "Where should I put the dessert?"

Gemma eyed her for a second and then smiled. "Well, isn't that nice of you. Put it in the fridge for later, sweetie."

She did as she was told and then stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do.

"Why don't you get started on the salad, huh? There's a bowl in the top cupboard."

Getting the salad bowl, Maria went to the counter and set to work, watching Gemma pick up some bread and set off for the next room. No sooner had that happened when a woman on her right leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially.

"Intimidating, isn't she?" She was smiling and had a glow about her, which Maria attributed to the fact that she was heavily pregnant. Wasn't that what people said about pregnant women? That they were glowing? "I'm Donna. It's nice to meet you."

"Maria." Shaking Donna's hand, she smiled in her direction. "Believe me, the pleasure is all mine."

Donna laughed, a carefree sound that gave away how happy she was. "Yeah, Ope told me about you. It must be tough moving like that and not knowing anyone."

Maria wracked her brain quickly, trying to put a face to the names she was hearing, only vaguely remembering the men she had met briefly on her first day in town. "Eh, I'm used to it. Moved a lot the past few years."

"Well then. I hope you find your home in Charming. It's rather nice once you settle in." Looking around the room, Donna started rattling off the names of the other women. "That's Luanne and the one by the sink is Carol, Bobby's wife." Whispering once more, Donna smiled with amusement. "His third wife."

"Third?" Maria mouthed the words carefully, making sure that Carol couldn't see her.

"Mhmm." The other woman laughed at the disbelief on her face. "The little girl over there is Ellie, my daughter."

That was a bit odd to Maria, as Donna didn't look much older than her. She kept that to herself though. It was obvious how much the other woman loved her child, how much she loved being a mother. Maria hoped one day she'd be like her, happy and glowing, looking at her child with love, and even wanting another.

Just when the Latina was about to respond, Gemma came back in the kitchen and picked up the main course, ushering all of them to the dining room.

"Let's not keep the guys waiting. You know boys and their food." The queen rolled her eyes, taking her place to the right of her husband.

Sitting next to Juice, Maria glanced at him, noting the goofy smile on his face. Their escape attempt earlier seemed silly now. She had to admit, she had felt a bit awkward at the beginning, but those feelings were gone quickly, chased away by Donna's acceptance and friendly attitude. The other woman had put her at ease and Maria was thankful. Juice, too, looked happy and peaceful. He looked like he belonged at that table and, judging by his laughter, Maria guessed that he felt it too.

Taking notice of her gaze, Juice looked at her, his smile broadening even more if possible. His large hand engulfed her much smaller one on top of the table. He squeezed it and leaned into her, speaking quietly.

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Her smile was genuine, as was her happiness. "Everything's perfect."

The quick exchange didn't go unnoticed by the queen. Gemma had been a bit reluctant to accept the girl, but she had her reasons to be suspicious. The club always came first, and with a new prospect, one that they didn't yet know, everyone had to be careful. She had to make sure that the boy had his head on straight, his heart intact, and balls big enough for the other guys to count on him. A girl, especially one as pretty as Maria, could ruin a man. She had seen it before, and she didn't want what had happened to her own son to happen to anyone else. The guys seemed to like the little Latina. Gemma was sure she was going to fit right in. Smiling to herself, the queen reached for the bread. Her boys were going to be just fine.

"So, Maria." Looking up, Maria turned her attention to Donna. "What is it that you do?"

The entire dinner went that way, full of friendly banter and light conversation. When she got to her apartment later that night, Maria was exhausted, but content. She decided that she definitely liked Charming. Yes, it was small and different, but she had made some friends that night. Things weren't so bad anymore.

* * *

_**June 13**__**th**__**, 2002**_

Maria pulled into the Teller-Morrow parking lot, painfully reminded of all the times she'd been to Tacoma Auto. The two were very similar, from the garage to the clubhouse, not to mention all of the motorcycles that were parked there. She hadn't spent that much time in Charming, but she really missed Tacoma. Not the city itself, but the people. She missed all of the bikers, Elaine and Beth. Their loss almost made her regret her decision to leave.

_Almost_.

Shaking her head, Maria got out of her truck and headed toward the garage where the bikers were working.

"Hey, Maria. What's up?" Jax was wiping his hands on a rag, his lips twisted in a smile. Tig and Clay were standing in front of a beat up Toyota, looking at her as she entered.

"Hey guys," she greeted them with a smile of her own. "Is Bobby here? I was supposed to pick him up…" Trailing off, she watched as the biker in question exited the garage's office.

"Right here." Bobby walked over to join the group. "You ready, dear?"

"Where are you kids off to?" Tig asked, eying the pair suspiciously.

"I'm taking Maria to a gallery in Oakland to see if we can find a place for her to sell her art."

"I gave you the day off so you can go to an art gallery?" Clay asked, shaking his head.

"I think it's a great idea." Jax received a few dubious looks for his interference. "What? She's good. She did the paint job for Hap's bike."

"Well, you're just full of surprises, aren't you?" the charter president asked with a smirk.

"Maybe you'll do something for my bike too, huh sweetheart?" Tig grinned down at her, his eyes gleaming.

"I'd be happy to."

"Okay then. It's time for us to go!" Bobby grabbed Maria's shoulders and steered her towards the truck, Clay following behind them.

"Hey, Bobby." Clay motioned for Bobby to hang back, taking a few steps away from Maria.

"Yeah?"

"Be careful in Oakland, okay? This shit with the Mayan pricks is getting on my nerves, but we better be on our guard." He paused for a second and glanced at where Maria was laughing with the rest of the guys. "You never know what's going to happen."

"Right." Bobby nodded his head. "Yeah, I'll be careful." He caught Maria's hand, leading her towards the truck. "I'll take those if you don't mind." He snatched the keys from her other hand and got in the driver's seat, starting the vehicle.

The drive to Oakland was fun, mainly due to the fact that Bobby kept making Maria laugh. She really liked the older biker, and his Elvis impersonations amused her to no end. The forty minute drive flew by, and in no time, they were arriving at the art gallery.

Bobby parked the truck across the street and smiled at her.

"Ready?"

"Yeah." She nodded her head, a smile blossoming on her own face. "Ready."

He went to get the paintings out of the truck, giving her enough time to examine the gallery. The place was small and a far cry from 'fancy'. That's exactly what she needed, a small gallery that had a wide range of customers. She doubted her art would be to the taste of high-class people._ Mirror Images Art Gallery_ suited her and her style quite well.

"You gonna stay there and gawk at it all day? Come on," Bobby called out to her. She had been so deep in thought that she had completely missed his movement. By the time she started walking to the entrance, he was half way there and she had to jog to catch up with him.

The inside of the place looked exactly like she pictured it. The walls were white, with lots of paintings hanging from them. The styles were different, from Renaissance to modern. She admired a few oil paintings, and then her gaze slid past the various portraits and beautiful landscapes to a small corner that was apparently dedicated to photography. She loved looking at photographs, and the ones displayed here were really good. Unfortunately for her, she couldn't do anything with a camera but snap pictures that, more often than not, came out blurry. Spinning in a circle, Maria examined the few sculptures that were spread across the room. She hoped the owner would like her work enough to give her a few spaces.

"Bobby!"

Maria turned in the direction the female voice had come from and watched as a black-haired woman walked towards her and Bobby. She hadn't noticed that he was next to her, but that wasn't surprising, as she had been preoccupied with the art.

"Diane." Bobby stepped up when she reached them and kissed her hand, making her giggle. "This is Maria, the one I told you about."

"It's so nice to meet you!" Maria exclaimed as she shook Diane's hand, her grip surprisingly firm. Maria noted that she looked rather delicate and a bit younger than Bobby, probably being in her late-thirties. She wore a nice suit, but nothing too fancy, and her hair was swept up in a bun with a few curled strands framing her face. She was smiling and it looked genuine. All in all, Maria liked the woman, but she couldn't help wondering how Bobby knew her. She guessed she'd never know, as the introductions were already made and he hadn't elaborated.

"The pleasure is all mine." Maria smiled happily at the reply, getting excited and nervous at the same time. "Come on then, let me look at your work."

Maria nudged Bobby and he started, too busy staring at Diane's legs to pay attention to the conversation.

"The art, right." He had propped her paintings on a nearby wall, so he quickly brought them over.

Bending to take the first one out of it's case, Maria presented it to the gallery owner, waiting for the verdict.

"That's nice." Diane glanced at her quickly, then reverted her eyes back to the painting. "Not bad. Let's see what else you've brought."

Handing her another painting, Maria relaxed and a large smile blossomed on her face. This was turning out perfect.

"Mmmhm. Your stuff will fit right in." Putting the paintings on a small table, Diane turned to her again. "I can only give you a few spaces at the moment, as we're rather full. Why don't you leave these three here and we'll talk about more if they sell well. What do you say?"

"That's… that's great!" Shaking the other woman's hand once again, Maria tried to express her gratitude. "Thank you so much!"

"Oh, don't mention it." Beckoning for Maria to follow her, she went behind a desk and produced a few papers and a pen. "Let's just fill these forms in and we're ready. We'll call you when a sale goes through."

Noting the use of the word 'when' instead of 'if,' Maria smiled again. This was a great day, and most certainly one of the few she'd enjoyed since moving.

Walking out of the gallery a little while later, she felt like she was on cloud nine. Hugging Bobby tightly, she laughed. He was quickly becoming her favorite Charming Son.

"Thanks, Bobby! You have no idea how much I appreciate what you did for me."

"Eh, don't mention it." He winked at her, swinging an arm around her shoulders. "Now, how about we go get something to eat? I'm starving!"


	15. If You Only Knew

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note:** Thanks for reading and reviewing the last chapter! Glad y'all are enjoying it. We get to visit Hap in this chapter. At this point in our story, Happy is around 32. Maria is 22 and currently about 3 months pregnant. We are also still 6 years before the show starts. Enjoy!

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
****Chapter 15: If You Only Knew  
**"_It's 4:03 and I can't sleep.  
__Without you next to me, I toss and turn like the sea.  
__If I drown tonight, bring me back to life.  
__Breathe your breath in me.  
__The only thing that I still believe in is you.  
__If you only knew."  
_- "If You Only Knew" by Shinedown_  
_

_**June 25**__**th**__**, 2002  
**__**Charming, California**__**  
**_

Maria got out of the shower, dripping water on the floor as she crossed the small bathroom to grab a towel from the counter. She stared at her growing baby bump in the mirror as she dried herself off, wondering just how long she would be able to hide her new attribute from the rest of Charming. Baggy clothing would only shield it from view for so long.

Entering her bedroom, the Latina began to dress in whatever her hands grabbed from the chest of drawers. She slipped a blue tank top over her head and became annoyed when she had to stretch it over her stomach. Maternity clothes were no longer avoidable.

"Shit! When did I get so fat?" Groaning, she grabbed a large sweatshirt from the floor of her closet and covered the tank top with it. She didn't bother trying to put on any pants that weren't elastic, even though her favorite pair of jeans were laying mockingly on top of her dresser. She wasn't going to be able to stay in Charming much longer if she wanted to keep this baby a secret from the club.

A knock at the front door brought her from her train of thought.

"It's open!" Maria yelled from the bedroom, cursing as soon as the words left her mouth as she recalled the conversation with Tig just a few weeks ago. "Fuck," she mumbled, assuming it was him at the door, and knowing he would lecture her again for not locking it.

Maria quickly finished towel-drying her hair as she heard the door click shut. Her feet made little noise against the hardwood floor as she walked down the hall towards the open front area of the apartment. However, she was surprised to see Gemma standing in her tiny kitchen.

"Hey, sweetheart. I was at the store, so I picked up a few things for you." The older woman motioned to the grocery bags sitting on the counter that she was currently in the process of emptying.

"Thanks, I've been meaning to go to the store. I haven't really felt like doing much but painting these past few days." Maria picked up the carton of milk and placed it in the refrigerator before spying a bag of chips and getting a sudden craving to put them on a grilled cheese sandwich.

"Yeah, it's hard to have the energy to do much of anything when you're pregnant."

The words broke the young girl out of her daze quickly and she spun around, staring at the woman who was now leaning against the counter with her arms crossed over her chest. "Excuse me?" She tried her best to seem genuinely confused, but one look at Gemma's expression told her that the biker queen wasn't buying it.

"Honey, those big clothes don't hide as much as you think. I'm assuming that's why you're here in Charming."

"I'm not pregnant. I just haven't been exercising as much lately. I've been busy."

"You can either tell me the truth, or we can call Happy and you can tell him, since he probably doesn't know about it either. It is Happy's baby, isn't it?"

Maria moved to the kitchen table and sat down, sighing as she rested her elbows on the table and put her head in her hands. "Of course it's Happy's baby. But everyone knows that he isn't exactly the parenting type."

"You're not giving the guy enough credit. You could have at least asked him if he wanted to give it a try."

The Hispanic woman cut her eyes up at Gemma, giving her an exasperated look. "The last time I talked to Happy, he beat the shit out of some guy and then informed me that he killed people for a living. I didn't think slipping in the fact that I'm having his baby was appropriate at that point in the conversation."

Gemma sighed and took the seat next to Maria at the table. "Happy isn't all bad. You know that as well as I do. You were with him for almost a year. Did you ever doubt him? He loves and protects his family, and he's as loyal as they come. He would never hurt you or the baby."

"He kills people, Gem! How am I supposed to live with that? How am I supposed to raise a child in that kind of environment?"

"Oh, you're overreacting. It's not like he walks down the street and shoots everyone he sees. He does it because the club needs it to be done." Gemma leaned forward to look Maria straight in the eye, all bullshit put aside. "This club is a family. And we do whatever is necessary to protect the people in it. If that means killing someone, then so be it."

"Gem-"

"You're a part of this family. Whether you or anyone else likes it, there are people that care about you in this club. You don't have to agree with what they do, but you need to accept it and move on. Take the good and the bad of club life and make the most of it. Besides, it's not like you can keep this from Hap forever. He'll find out about the baby from someone as soon as you tell the rest of the guys."

Maria paused, hesitantly glancing at the woman across from her. "I wasn't going to tell anyone."

"Sweetheart, the boys aren't stupid. They'll notice the bump in another month or so. How were you planning on getting around that?"

Fiddling with her fingernails as her hands rested nervously on the table, Maria took a deep breath before replying. "I'm not staying in Charming." Confusion crossed over Gemma's face, but the younger woman gave her no time to speak. "The plan was always to be here until Juice got settled in and then leave. I didn't want to make him start over in a new place by himself, but I knew I couldn't live in Charming permanently. I don't want to cause any trouble within the charter because I know Hap will find out about this baby at some point."

"I really think you should talk to him before you make a decision. He cares about you. Who do you think is paying for this apartment?" It was Maria's turn to look confused as she recalled the conversation about the club's available apartments. "It doesn't belong to SAMCRO. I had to pull some serious strings to get it on such short notice. But Happy wanted only the best for you."

Silence enveloped the room as Maria processed the information. After some thought, she concluded that sending money for rent did not equate to wanting to settle down and take care of a baby. "He won't have to pay for it much longer. I'll be out of here soon."

"You need to call him," Gemma said softly, with an undertone of a firm order.

"I can't. He loves this club more than anything. A baby would completely mess up everything he's worked for. I can't do that to him." She sniffed back tears, then changed direction with her argument. "And I can't do that to my child, give it a murderer for a father. Someone who could end up in jail at any second. It wouldn't be fair."

Gemma sighed, not one to easily give up a fight, but knowing when to quit. "Fine, but at least think over what I said." She stood up and grabbed her sunglasses and purse from the counter before heading to the door. "You call me if you need anything."

"Thanks, Gem. For the groceries and the talk."

The older woman smiled sadly at the lost girl, hoping that things would all work out as she exited the apartment. As the door shut behind her, she pulled out her cellphone and dialed a number that was becoming much more familiar.

"_How'd it go?" _The rough voice on the other end asked after a few rings.

"Not as well as you'd hoped. She's struggling with the killing aspect, but now she's also afraid she'll ruin his life if he has to take care of a kid." She paused briefly as she thought it over, then continued. "She's right you know. He won't be the same if he has a child to think about."

She could hear Vegas sigh and pictured him running his hand through his short hair. "_I know. But he needs it. He's going to get himself killed or thrown in jail for life if he keeps this shit up. A baby will do him some good, reign him in a little."_

Gemma rolled her eyes and scoffed, realizing she wasn't going to convince the Tacoma biker to give up on his mission to reunite the couple. "I sincerely doubt that. But for Maria's sake, I hope you're right. She's planning on leaving Charming, so you better get Hap to his senses quickly."

* * *

_**Tacoma, Washington**_

It was a rowdy night in Tacoma, and the bikers had gathered in the basement of the clubhouse, where a boxing-ring had been set up many years ago to provide some entertainment and stress relief. The alcohol was flowing wildly, and a majority of the room's occupants would be feeling it heavily the next morning. King, Fish, and Bronne were completely hammered well before midnight, while Mack and Vegas were being a bit more cautious with their alcohol intake.

"Hap venture down here any?" Mack asked his friend over the loud roar of the boxing match going on behind them. Vegas motioned with his head to the top of the stairs where Happy stood leaning against the railing, his stony face observing the partying group below him. The pair watched as Boss gave a stern wave to the man, which they could vaguely translate as '_Get your ass down here and party like the rest of us. That's an order._' Happy seemed to square his shoulders in response and walked slowly down the stairs to enter the crowd. While he probably would have liked to disappear into the large mass, he towered over most of the guests and could be spotted from across the room. This led the sweetbutts over in swarms, eager to warm his newly-vacated bed should he want some private fun.

Apparently, he wasn't in the mood for their company. One glare and a few harsh words sent them and a few bystanders scattering to other areas of the room, much to the displeasure of Boss, who just wanted Happy to act normal for a few minutes.

Boss was definitely not expecting this much backlash from sending that girl to Charming. Sure, he got his killer back, but somehow the '_off_' switch had been broken in the process, and now it was nonstop anger exuding from his usually stoic brother. Boss sighed as he watched Happy stomp over to the bar, grab a beer, and park himself in the nearest chair, a look on his face that dared anyone to approach him.

An hour passed and Happy was still in his original seat, having moved on to the harder liquors and starting to feel their effects. Getting up with a bit of struggle, he decided that he had put in enough of an appearance for the evening. He hated having to play nice just because the boss said so. Now all he had to do was make it to the staircase on the other side of the basement. Then he'd be free to retreat to his quiet room by himself with another bottle of booze.

Kozik watched from a distance as, if in slow motion, a drunken patron entered the scene innocently a few feet away from the large biker. He tensed as the two got closer and stood up as they inevitably collided. Cringing as he saw the man's precariously balanced drink get splashed across the front of Happy's shirt, Kozik tried to rush across the room in order to drag the Tacoma biker upstairs before he started something. However, the crowd prevented him from moving very fast as his friend's face got angrier by the second

He arrived just as Happy's fist knocked the other man to the ground. Kozik tried to hold back the killer that lunged forward to continue his assault. "It was just a drink, brother. An accident," he said, stepping in between the unconscious drunk and his friend and trying to sooth the already out of control beast. There was no recognition in Happy's eyes as he shoved the Sergeant-at-Arms, who returned the gesture full-force as his own anger flared. "What the fuck, man? Are you out of your damn mind?"

In response, Happy threw a punch towards Kozik, catching him in the jaw only to receive a blow to his own face. One tackled the other and they ended up on the floor, trading hits and growling out curses as they battled. Nobody nearby dared to try and separate the two skilled fighters for fear of being dragged into the fray. It was the combined efforts of Mack, King, and Bronne that finally pulled Happy from a bloody Kozik, who tried to continue the fight only to be restrained by Vegas and Boss.

"That's enough!" the charter president yelled over the noise of the two still trying to go at each other. The rest of the basement's inhabitants were deathly quiet, stunned into silence over what they were witnessing. "What the hell is wrong with you two?"

"I'm so sick of your shit!" Kozik shouted angrily, wrenching his arm free of Vegas' grasp, but making no move forward. His stare bore directly into Happy, who was still fuming and ready to fight. "For the past month, you've been snapping at anyone who looks at you and bashing people's heads in over nothing. It's getting really annoying at this point. Grow the fuck up, man! Either let her go or grow a set and call her!"

Happy's face went blank as his friend's words hit him harder than any punch ever could. He had tried to tell himself that his sudden need to smash things had nothing to do with a certain young Latina. But hearing Kozik connecting the two made the idea so absolute in Happy's head. The three men holding on to him for dear life released him hesitantly as he quit his struggle, watching closely to make sure that nobody started round two.

Without saying a word, Happy turned and moved through the quickly-parting crowd. He made his way angrily up the stairs and out the front door of the clubhouse. Too keyed up to get on his bike, he walked to one of the wooden picnic tables and sat down on top of it, resting his elbows on his knees. He hung his head in his hands and sighed heavily, failing to notice the man that had quietly followed him outside. Only when he felt the bench shift beneath his feet did Happy pick his head up.

Vegas had taken a seat next to him, his back leaning against the table that the other biker was sitting on. Happy glared at the man he had called a brother for many years, trying to send the message that he wasn't in the mood to talk. But he knew his quiet friend wouldn't pry into his business – that wasn't his style. Vegas would wait for him to make the first move, and he'd be damned if he was going to spill his guts like some teenage girl at a sleepover. Happy snorted as Vegas continued staring ahead, refusing to make eye contact or even acknowledge him as he stretched his arms across the wooden surface behind him.

Vegas pulled out a cigarette and lit it, enjoying the torment he was causing the already-tense man next to him. It wasn't that he was like the Doctor Phil of the group or anything; he didn't go around trying to fix people. But sometimes the men of the club needed someone to listen to them and not crack jokes about their masculinity, and Vegas didn't mind that role. It made people trust him, which kept him well-informed on the inner-workings of the club. He could tell when someone was about to snap and he usually knew how to fix it.

That was his job. Prevent trouble within the charter.

And all of this pent up bullshit that Happy had collected was without a doubt causing problems. The past month had been nothing but tension in the clubhouse. Everyone was walking on eggshells around him to avoid a confrontation with his new even shorter fuse. It was as though the half of Happy that had been relatively normal and easy-going had stayed behind in Charming, leaving the cold and distant killer to walk alone in Tacoma. He had become more temperamental and only showed his face for church meetings and necessary work at the garage. Any attendance of standard parties involved him confiscating most of the hard liquor for himself. His first solution to any problem, personal or club-related, seemed to involve fists and guns.

Vegas was determined to sit here all night if he had to. He was going to put an end to all of this shit. He just hoped that his brother would be willing to talk. And to listen.

"How do I fix all of this, V?" Happy asked a few minutes later. "I just want things back to the way they were."

Puffing on his cigarette, Vegas remained quiet for a few minutes, then asked, "What is it exactly that you want to fix?"

"I got what I wanted – Maria is gone and I'm free to go back to my old ways of being a killer. But it doesn't feel right."

Silence reigned once again as both men thought things over.

"Are you sure that's what you wanted?" Happy looked down at his friend in confusion. "If it doesn't feel right, then something is missing. _Maria_ is missing. Face it, she's a part of who you are now. It's not gonna go away just because she left."

A look of skepticism crossed Happy's face. "Whatever happened, happened. There's no changing it now. She's long gone. Probably found herself a nice doctor or lawyer. I mean, she's only twenty two. I was probably just one stop on her young love fest."

'_Oh, how wrong you are_,' Vegas thought with a smile as he imagined what a pregnant-Maria would look like. "It's only been a month. I seriously doubt she's forgotten about you just yet, brother."

"How do you figure that? Have you talked to her?"

"Actually, I haven't," he lied smoothly, not wanting to get into the specifics of the conversation he'd had with the young Hispanic woman just days before. "But now that you mention it, I should probably call her." Vegas narrowed his eyes at the younger man beside him, hoping he'd listen. "Better yet, _you_ should call her."

Happy started shaking his head before Vegas had finished speaking. "And say what? 'I know last time we talked, I told you that I liked to kill people and then you skipped town, but I just wanted to call and see how you were doing.'"

Vegas rolled his eyes at the sarcasm, wondering if any rational thought was going through his friend's head at the moment. "She cares about you. You need to show her that you care for her too."

"Fuck, V. The whole damn city knows that I care about her. She was the only girl that I slept with for eight months. That's like an actual fucking relationship for me. And look how that turned out. Why would I bother doing it again?" Happy sighed in frustration and ran his hands over his face. "Whether or not I care for her isn't the problem. You saw what I was turning into with her around. I was becoming a little pussy. I couldn't do my job. I was distracted all the time. This club is all that I've ever had. My loyalty to the club has to come before anything else."

It was easy to see the conflicting emotions on Happy's face, as the cold anger tried to gain dominance over the affection that he felt for Maria. It was also easy to see which one was currently winning the battle.

"I see what you're turning into _without_ her here. You're angry, standoffish, and rude. Nobody wants to be around you. Hell, it seems like you don't want to be around anyone either. While this version of you may be the better killer, he also forgets the reasons why he joined this club in the first place so many years ago. He forgets the importance of family and friends. The things he started killing people to protect." Vegas tossed his cigarette stub on the ground and let out a final breath of smoke. This tactic of persuasion clearly wasn't helping to convince Happy that he needed to fix things with Maria. "Okay, so what if she is with another guy. Would that satisfy you? Would that make your life go back to normal?"

Vegas could see Happy's nostrils flair at the mere thought of his girl with someone else, but the response he gave wasn't exactly expected. "She deserves a guy that can give her everything."

Rolling his eyes at the obvious avoidance of the question, Vegas tried again. "That's not what I asked. Would _you _go back to your old self if she had moved on? Would you forget all about her?" Happy looked hesitantly at the other biker, at a loss for words. "There's no going back, brother. Looks like you're either an angry, lonely old man or you go get your girl and be... happy."

For a second, Vegas thought he had finally broken through the hard exterior shell, but the moment passed and a defeated Happy stood up stiffly. "She needs a lot more than I can give her. It doesn't matter how I feel. It's what's best for both of us. I can be the killer and she can get on with her life."

With those words, Happy turned and trudged slowly back into the clubhouse, leaving Vegas to toss his hands up in annoyance. He didn't know what else to do to convince the man that he needed Maria as much as she needed him.


	16. Thought I Could Do This

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **No Happy in this one. I wanted to add him, but there was already so much going on and so many jumpcuts that I didn't want to add yet another one to the end. Maybe I'll add a new chapter in after this one. We'll see. But we do introduce some tension for SAMCRO that will lead us into the final few chapters. There are currently 22 chapters total, but that might change to 23 depending on how productive my break is and how inspiring your reviews are. :)

Just as a warning, there are mentions of abortion in this chapter. It's pretty brief and nothing detailed, so it shouldn't trigger anyone, but do note that it is there. We'd also like to remind you that the views expressed by the characters belong to them, and not us as the writers, so please don't get offended. There's also some use of racial slurs, but again, not our opinions on the subject.

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
****Chapter 16: Thought I Could Do This  
**"_I'm here again, a thousand miles away from you.  
__A broken mess, just scattered pieces of who I am.  
__I tried so hard, thought I could do this on my own.  
__I've lost so much along the way."  
_- "Pieces" by RED_  
_

_**July 6**__**th**__**, 2002  
**__**Charming, California**__**  
**_

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, saw them today. Want us to do something about it? Check it out?"

Chief Wayne Unser sighed as he ran a hand over his balding head. This had 'trouble' written all over it. "Nah. It's outside of Charming. Not our jurisdiction." Picking up his keys, he exited his office, looking at the younger man over his shoulder. "Keep an eye on them, just in case. We don't want anything happening this side of the border."

"Okay, Chief."

He made his way out of the station, pulling his sunglasses from the pocket on his uniform that he was dying to get out of. Unser wasn't sure he deserved to wear it, what with the shit he had going on the side. He approached his police cruiser and unlocked the door. Some Chief of Police he was.

Driving down Main Street, he observed the town that had remained unchanged for many years. Small family businesses weren't afraid of big corporations taking over the town. People greeted their neighbors and friends on the sidewalk, the thought of strangers invading Charming far from their minds. Kids played safely in the streets, protected from the harsh reality of crimes and violence. Bad shit didn't happen here.

Taking a left turn, Unser entered the lot of the Teller-Morrow garage. The Sons of Anarchy were the real law in Charming; they owned the town just like they did this auto shop. He had a shiny badge strapped to his chest, but that didn't mean shit nowadays. The sad thing was that it didn't bother him much. He was going to do everything in his power to keep the Sons in charge. The lesser evil.

Wayne shook his head and parked, getting out of the car. The lot was full of bikes, as usual, and a few cars were waiting either for their owners to pick them up or for the mechanics to move them into the garage. Looking around, he saw Jax roll out from underneath a silver Ford, a cigarette behind his ear. The younger man threw him a quizzical look and rose up to meet him.

"Chief. To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Unser nodded his head in greeting. He'd always liked the kid, even if Jax was a little too much trouble as a teenager. "Jax. We need to talk. Is Clay here?"

"Yeah, inside the clubhouse." Leading the way, the biker looked over his shoulder. "Why, has something happened?"

"Not yet."

Entering the Sons' hangout, the chief made a face. It was obvious there had been a party the previous night. The bar and the few tables inside were littered with bottles of various shapes and sizes and the ashtrays were overflowing. Bobby was sprawled out on the sofa, a beer in one hand and something white sticking to his beard. Chibs was sitting on an old stool, leaned back and smoking a cigarette as he laughed at Juice, who was unsuccessfully trying to find his missing pants. Tig was resting his head on the bar, using his hands to cover his ears as he tried to block out the world.

Clay entered the room, looking much more sober than the others, with a cigar hanging from his mouth. "Unser." His eyebrows rose high on his forehead. "Anything we can help you with?"

"It's the other way around. We have to talk."

Clay nodded, looking around the room. "Where's Opie?"

"Went home. Something about having to take the kid to the zoo." Jax smiled, lighting up his own cigarette. "You know how Donna is about that shit."

"Don't I." Laughing, Clay went to the bar and thumped Tig on the back. "Wake up, Tigger. We have a visitor." He glanced towards Unser. "This important, Chief? As you can see, I'm missing some of my men."

"Fill them in later." Wayne paused, looking around the room. "It's about the Mayans."

As soon as the word had left his mouth, all of the room's occupants went on alert, giving him their full attention.

"One of my guys saw a few of them earlier, out near the border. They were hanging around those abandoned warehouses."

"Who saw them?" The Sergeant at Arms sounded half-dead, looked it too.

"Jared-"

"That Ackles kid?" Clay interrupted, the suspicion in his voice loud and clear. "You trust him?"

"He may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, Clay, but the boy ain't blind. He knows what he saw." Waiting for Clay's nod, Unser turned towards the door. "Anyway, that's all he said. I just thought you'd want to know." He shrugged, stopping by the exit. "I'll tell you if I find out anything else."

"Thanks, Chief. We appreciate the heads up."

"Yeah, yeah." The older man went on his way, leaving the club to its business. He'd done what he came here for, no need to linger. He just hoped that whatever happened now didn't up the body count in Charming. He was optimistic though. He took care of the Sons, and the Sons took care of him and the town. That's how things worked around here.

Inside the clubhouse, the bikers looked at each other, processing the new information. Juice was the one to break the silence, asking the question that was at the front of everyone's mind.

"What do you think they're doing so close to the border?"

Jax shrugged, looking around at the others only to get the same reaction. Clay went behind the bar and got himself a beer, sitting down next to Chibs.

"Stirring up shit, that's what." They had a beef with the Mayans; an old one, but a beef nonetheless. "They haven't crossed into Charming yet, but being so close is causing me some discomfort."

"So what? We wait 'til they cross to take them out?" Tig rose a bit higher in his stool.

"Well, we can't just go and start a war. That's more trouble than we need," Bobby said, adding his two cents from his position on the couch.

"Yeah, an' waitin' on them ta do it will be so much better for us." Chibs took a drag from his cigarette, shaking his head. "We don't know what they're doin', so we can't take action. But we can't wait around for 'em to get a shot at us either."

"We need some more intel." Clay took a drink from his beer as he formulated a plan. "Chibs, go with Jax and take a look at our dear Mayan friends' new location."

"Aye." The Scotsman got up from his stool.

"Oh, Chibs." Clay nodded his head to Juice. "Take the prospect with ya. Just in case," he added with a shrug and a smirk.

"C'mon then, Prospec'. Don't got all day."

Juice hurried to catch up with his two brothers, not paying any attention to Tig's chuckles.

"For Christ's sake, Prospec'! Put some damn pants on!" Chibs' loud Scottish brogue made Tig's chuckles turn into full-out laughter. "What're ya gonna do? Scare the Mayans with yer dick hangin' out?"

* * *

Groaning, Maria opened her eyes. One hand flew up so she could cover her face, the bright sunlight entering the apartment impairing her vision. Blindly groping around the nightstand with her other hand, she snatched her phone and opened it, turning her back to the window. Of course the damn thing was going to ring just when she fell asleep.

"_Gemma" _was flashing across the screen, so the Latina hurried to pick up.

"Yeah?" Her voice was thick with sleep, and she hoped the biker queen took mercy on her and let her nap for a few more hours.

"Hey there, baby girl." She sounded too chipper for the half-asleep woman. "Get up and get ready. I'll be over in an hour to pick you up."

"Pick me up?" Maria ran a hand over her eyes, trying to wake herself up. "Pick me up for what?"

"I didn't tell you? Sorry." Gemma sounded anything but apologetic. "We're going shopping and then you have a doctor's appointment at two."

Doctor's appointment? What doctor's appointment?

"Gem, what are you tal-"

"I have to go and pick up some things from the garage first, but you get up and get ready." The matriarch interrupted her, not even acknowledging her question. "You know how I hate waiting."

"I-" Hearing the dial tone on the other end, Maria sighed. Figured that Gemma would be the type to hang up on people.

Getting out of bed, she slowly made her way to the bathroom. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she groaned. Her hair was messed up and sticking in different directions. The big "Sons of Anarchy Tacoma" t-shirt covering her torso was wrinkled, and she had dark bags under her eyes. All were indicators of her sleepless nights and of the tossing and turning she had been doing recently.

Stripping down and stepping into the shower, she tried to wash away the exhaustion and fatigue. Maria hadn't had a good night's sleep the last week and a half. Not only was her growing baby bump making it uncomfortable to lay on her stomach, but the talk with Gemma was putting thoughts in her head that she couldn't get rid of. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Happy's face. Every time she managed to drift off, she was swallowed by dreams of him, of them.

One night, he'd be angry with a face twisted in fury. He'd be in front of her, denying any connection to the baby she carried. She'd cry and beg for him to accept her and their child, and he'd just laugh. A father? He didn't think so.

Another night, he'd be pushing her through the doors of a private clinic, providing support for her as she was about to give up their baby. She didn't even entertain the idea of aborting the child inside of her whilst awake, but in her dreams, Maria envisioned Happy convincing her to do it. They weren't ready to be parents, no need to torture the child with their inability to take care of it.

Other nights, she'd see herself in Tacoma, having lunch with Beth and Elaine. Hap and the guys would come into the diner, a small child trailing behind her man. The kid would run up to her with a shout of "Mommy!" and start chatting about how the day with "dad" had gone. Happy would kiss her on the cheek and then pick the babbling child up, making a bout of laughter spill forth.

And after every single dream, Maria would wake up gasping for breath, sweat dripping down her brow. She couldn't decide which scenario was worse. To her, the first seemed most likely. There's no way that Happy would ever want to be responsible for a kid. He had so much on his plate already. That and she couldn't ever recall seeing him interacting with a child. With his temper, he would likely kill the kid before its first birthday anyways.

No, that wasn't true. As angry as Happy had been that day at the garage, she had never before feared for her safety with him. Well, excluding those first few months of course, because the guy had definitely been intimidating for awhile there. But the Happy she had gotten to know over time, he was just a guy – laidback, quiet, uncomplicated, controlled.

Someone that could make a great father.

Gemma's talk had made her entertain the idea of the two of them together, raising the baby she was carrying. It was an unrealistic craving that she couldn't let herself think about. Shaking her head, Maria got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body. Going to the sink, she ran a hand over the bathroom mirror, clearing it of the condensation and revealing her reflection. Looking into her own tired eyes, she confessed to herself that, as much as she tried to deny it, she wanted that life. She wanted to see Happy hoist their child over his shoulder. She wanted to snuggle into him at night, just when she'd put the baby to sleep. She wanted it all. And thinking about it, dreaming about it, made the pain in her heart so much worse.

_He kills people, _she kept telling herself over and over, as if repeating it would make all of the feelings from the past year just magically go away.

Maria took a deep breath, clearing her head of the relentless thoughts, and went to get dressed. Gemma was going to show up soon, grumbling that she had to wait. The Latina wondered what had brought this sudden flair of activity from the biker queen. Shopping? Doctor's appointment? Everything was so unexpected. Of course, Maria knew she'd have to go shopping sooner or later; she was running out of clothes that fit. And going to see a doctor was a given, since she was pregnant after all. But Gemma taking the reins and making her an appointment surprised her, even if it really shouldn't have.

This _was_ Gemma Teller-Morrow she was dealing with.

* * *

Jax sighed and entered the clubhouse, Chibs and Juice following behind him. Everything was pretty obvious now that he thought about it. What else would the Mayans be doing hanging around that building, feeding the homeless? Not likely.

Looking around the room, he found all of the other members of the club there, probably waiting for them to get back. He nodded to Clay, indicating that everything had gone relatively well.

The SAMCRO President motioned to the chapel. "C'mon." His eyes swept along the room. "Church."

The bikers left their phones in the old open cigar box and made their way to the large meeting room, half-empty beers in hand. Taking their places around the redwood table, all of their faces were hard.

Clay looked at the Prospect and Chibs before his eyes focused on Jax. "So? What are our wetback friends up to?"

"No good, just like we suspected." Jax's words earned a snort from Tig.

"No shit?"

Ignoring the interruption, the Vice President continued. "Would have been easier sneaking around after dark, but we got what we went for. That warehouse they're hanging around?" He looked at his brothers that were seated at the table. "They're storing their heroin in it."

"Aye." Chibs took the lead. "It's not our concern at this point, but it's not gonna be long before that heroin enters Charming."

"So close to the border, I won't be surprised if it's already inside." Opie took a drag from his cigarette, blowing the smoke out slowly.

"How's their security?" Tig had both of his hands on the table, twirling a lighter. He was itching for something to do, somebody to hit.

"Two security cameras, one in the back and one at the front." Everyone turned to Juice and he swallowed, not appreciating the attention. "Three guys sporting heavy hardware. We couldn't get a good look inside, but I'm pretty sure there aren't civilians around. "

"They're feeling safe then, the pricks." Tig's blue eyes were alight with excitement; he looked like Christmas had come early. Already knowing what was about to happen, he spun the lighter one last time, letting it fall on the table. "What are we gonna do?"

All eyes went to the charter president, the guys waiting to hear what he had to say.

"Alvarez knows how things work around here. Last time we laid the ground rules out for them, I thought we'd come to an understanding." He chuckled, a dark sound that had no humor in it. "Looks like I was wrong." Shrugging, he looked around the table. "All in favor of paying a visit to our Mayan friends and helping them with their heroin business?"

"Hell yeah, man." Tig was the first one to raise his hand. Following his lead, the other members did the same. A small smile played on Clay's lips.

The gavel slammed down hard, cementing the club's decision. Majority rules.

* * *

"You do realize this is a store that sells clothing for men, right?" Maria looked at her shopping companion like she was crazy.

"No, really? I hadn't noticed," Gemma deadpanned as they crossed the small parking lot. "You're not exactly fit for the maternity section. Unless you want to buy a dress with a tacky flower print. Everything else will scream 'I'm pregnant', and we don't want that, do we?"

Sighing, the younger woman nodded. "Yeah. You're right, I guess."

Entering the store, they were met with the smiling face of the owner, an older woman with graying hair and a wrinkled face.

"Hello, Gem. Shopping for Clay?"

"Hey, Tina." Smiling in return, the biker queen nodded her head. "Yeah, you know how he is." She pushed Maria into the store, steering her towards the shirt section and away from the store clerk. "Nosy old bat."

The other woman chuckled, amused. "You're awful."

"Yeah?" Gemma quirked an eyebrow and smirked, looking Maria directly in the eyes. "You should hear what I say about you when you're not around."

The two shopped for awhile, picking up a few items here and there. After making their purchases, they returned to the car and headed to their next stop. Maria lost all courage the moment they drove into the parking lot. Looking across from her at the hospital doors, she just couldn't find it in herself to enter.

_One forty-five. One forty-six. One forty-seven._

The digits on the clock in the car continued to change and Maria kept watching them, unaffected by the passing time.

"We're gonna be late, you know." Gemma's gentle voice reached her ears, pulling her out of her reverie. "C'mon, sweetheart. Let's go in."

"I can't, Gem." Turning frightened eyes to the woman that had supported her until now, she pleaded for her understanding. "You know how small towns are. It's gonna travel all over Charming the minute we enter that hospital. I'll be the new piece of gossip entertaining the town's women – the pregnant chick rolling with the Sons. I can just see it now." Shaking her head, Maria took a deep breath. "I can't risk someone here telling the guys about it. I'll be out of California by the end of the month anyway. I can go see someone then." She had spent three months without going to see a doctor and everything was fine. Why did she need to visit one now?

Gemma took her hands and looked into her eyes, her fierce gaze trained on the expectant mother. "Stop with that shit and get a grip. You're not going anywhere, baby. The guys won't let you. _I_ won't let you." The conviction with which the words were spoken made goosebumps travel all over Maria's body. "Now, we're going into that hospital and getting you checked out, okay?" When she got the nod she was expecting, Gemma loosened her grip. "Okay. And don't worry about the doctor. There are ways to make sure nothing gets out of the hospital."

"Okay." Taking a deep breath, the young woman exited the car. "Here we go."

The biker queen was by her side in a matter of seconds, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Everything's going to be fine." Sharing a small smile, the two women entered St. Thomas Hospital.

Using the elevators, they went up to the second floor and stopped at the front desk. There was a young nurse typing away on a computer, but she looked up at their arrival.

"Hi there." Gemma started the conversation, all confidence and power. "We have an appointment with Doctor Hodge."

"Room 206, down the hall."

"Thank you." Taking Maria by the arm, Gemma made her way to the appropriate room and entered after a quick knock.

An older man was seated next to a small desk looking at a file. He rose when he saw them and took off his reading glasses.

"Gemma!" He had a bright smile on his face. It was obvious he was happy to see her. "Looking beautiful, as always."

"Christian." Gemma reached in for a quick hug. "Charming, as always."

"Well at age sixty, I've got to have something going for me." He winked in Maria's direction. "This is the friend you told me about?"

"Yes." She shoved the smaller woman forward slightly.

"Well, come on then. Let's get started. Time is money." He lead them into a connected exam room and gestured for her to get situated on the exam table. "Let me just grab your folder." He scurried out of the room momentarily, leaving the two women to gossip.

"You're familiar with Doctor Charming then?" Maria asked quietly.

"You can say that. Christian Hodge was an up-and-coming OBGYN when I was pregnant with Jax." She shrugged, smirking at the other woman. "He's good at what he does. Gonna keep it private, too."

"Okay then." Maria took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

Entering the examination room again, the doctor smiled at his patient in reassurance. "Since you haven't been examined before, we're going to do some tests first. You said you're a little over three months?" He waited for her to nod before continuing. "Okay, then we can do a sonogram if you want to. The sex of the baby can't be determined yet. That can happen when you're a little over four months at the earliest. But we can determine your due date and you can see the baby."

Maria smiled at the thought. "I'd like that."

"Let's get started then, shall we?"

They ran through the tests one by one, Maria barely keeping up with which test was for what. After an hour, the only thing left was the ultrasound. She hopped up on the cot, nervously lifting her shirt. The circumstances surrounding her pregnancy had been more than dire, and she hadn't gotten the time to really appreciate the idea of being pregnant. But now, seconds away from seeing it, she was realizing that this child was as much a blessing as it was a curse.

The doctor pulled a chair next to her bed, wheeling the ultrasound scanner with him. He looked at her and smiled reassuringly.

"You can call the father and we can wait for him to get here, if you'd like." He patted one of her hands. "He won't want to miss this."

Maria paled, the reminder that she was alone in this situation draining all of her excitment. "I-"

"That won't be necessary, Doc." Gemma went to her rescue, standing next to the head of the bed. She took Maria's hand in hers and squeezed it, providing all the support she could. "He's out of town on business."

Nodding, Doctor Hodge took a bottle from the cart and uncapped it. His face had turned grim at the mention of 'business out of town,' all too familiar with the sort of crowd the ladies were involved in, but he quickly masked it with a smile. "I'm going to put this gel on your stomach."

He put a thing layer of the clear gel on her belly and she was surprised by the warmth of it; the stuff was always really cold in the movies. After that, the doctor got a small hand-held device that resembled a microphone and was attached to the scanner by a cord. "The pressure might be a bit uncomfortable, but otherwise it's completely safe."

Maria nodded, her eyes glued to the ultrasound screen. She felt the pressure on her stomach, but didn't have time to think of anything else. There, on the screen, was their baby. Her and Happy's child. Her eyes filled with joyous tears, all thought of being on her own leaving her head. The baby was so small, barely resembling a human, but it was theirs. Hers.

She wiped at her eyes with one hand, looking to the doctor. "Is…" Her voice failed her and she took a deep breath before trying again. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, everything looks fine." Doctor Hodge smiled at her once more. "We'll have to wait for your test results, but by the looks of it, you'll have one healthy baby…" Trailing off, he looked at the screen more closely. "…around the end of December."

"December?"

"Yes, December. The twenty-sixth if my estimations are correct."

"Perfect! A Christmas baby." Gemma's voice startled her. The queen had been silent until now and, being caught up in the baby, Maria had forgotten she was there.

"A Christmas baby…" Smiling, Maria looked up at Doctor Hodge. "Can we get a picture?"

"Of course, dear." The older man smiled at her. "Here are some wipes so you can get cleaned up." He handed her a box of baby wipes and brought her the sonogram photograph.

"Thank you, Doctor Hodge." Maria squeezed his hand gratefully.

"Yes, Christian, thank you." Gemma expressed her own gratitude. "Not only for the exam, but for keeping it quiet, too."

"You're most welcome. Anything for my favorite lady." He winked at Gemma and she grinned mischievously back at him, then led Maria out of the room.

"See, sweetheart. Wasn't so bad."

Maria smiled to herself, the sonogram burning a hole through her pocket. No, it wasn't bad at all.

* * *

Nights were unbelievably peaceful in Charming. The local businesses closed up early and folks were having dinner and preparing for bed by eight. The silence was disturbed only by an odd car or motorcycle headed down the street, the drivers hurrying to get home.

The only place open until late was the Teller-Morrow garage, more specifically the Sons of Anarchy clubhouse. Parties there often lasted until the morning sun peeked through the clouds, and sometimes even that didn't stop the crowd's fun.

Not this night though. The garage was quiet and the clubhouse deserted, a few of the club members gathered around a black van that was parked in the lot. One had to look really closely in order to spot them, the darkness covering them like a blanket.

The five men were all dressed in black and weren't wearing their cuts. They had to blend in.

"You got the guns?"

"Aye, Jackie-boy. Everything's here."

"Good." Tig chuckled. "We don't want this thing getting away from us."

"Don't get too excited, Tigger. We're going there to educate and teach them a lesson, not to start a war."

"You got it, Boss." Waiting for his brothers to get in the back of the van, Tig thumped the remaining man on the back, catching him by the collar and steering him away and towards the front passenger's seat. "No, no, Prospect. You're riding in the front with me." He grinned and jumped into the vehicle. "Time to teach you how we do things around here."

Juice smiled back hesitantly, both excited and terrified at what the night would bring.


	17. Narcissistic Cannibal

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **Well, here's a brand new chapter just for you guys! I felt as though Happy was being neglected a bit, so I wanted to visit him again before the shit that goes down in the following chapters. And a little of Juice and Kozik, cause I missed them too. It's a short chapter, but the next one will be up in a few days and it's a monster, so you'll thank me later.

Also, someone asked how this version of the story is different than the original that was posted back in 2009. There aren't any major changes to the plot, but it's been edited for better grammar and some new sentences/paragraphs have been added here and there. The major differences would be the total re-write of chapter 9, the addition of this brand new chapter, and an additional thousand or so words in chapters 18 and 21. So it's really just some extra things added in, but overall, still the same general story.

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
****Chapter 17: Narcissistic Cannibal  
**"_Sometimes I hate the life I made,  
__Everything's wrong every time.  
__Pushing on, I can't escape.  
__Everything that comes my way  
__Is haunting me taking its sweet time."  
_- "Narcissistic Cannibal" by Korn_  
_

_**July 7, 2002  
**__**Tacoma, Washington**__**  
**_

Vegas settled himself at the bar as he pulled his phone from the pocket of his leather cut. He smiled at the name that flashed across the screen before flipping it open. "Hey sweetheart."

"_Hi, V. Is this a bad time?_" Maria asked hesitantly on the other end of the line, nervously fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

"Nah, I'm glad you called. How you holdin' up?" He glanced over at the tattooed biker playing pool on the other side of the room. "Everything okay?"

"_Yeah, yeah, everything is fine._" She paused and Vegas could tell there was something on the tip of her tongue. "_I uh... I'm sorry I keep dragging you into the middle of this. I know you probably shouldn't be talking to me-_"

Vegas snorted, catching Happy's attention, and continued speaking into the phone. "Babe, I can talk to whoever I want. I told you to call me, I meant it." It didn't take the other man long to realize who was on the phone and he rolled his eyes. These people weren't making their separation any easier to handle, especially since half the charter had been in contact with the woman since she'd left.

"_Well, I had some exciting news, and since there aren't many people that know about the baby, I don't have anyone to share it with._"

"Except Gemma."

Maria's eyes narrowed as she thought her suspicions were confirmed. "_So you _did_ tell her?_"

"I didn't need to tell her. She'd pretty much figured it out for herself when I called her."

"_Oh god, are you the reason she's been glued to my side all of a sudden?_"

"I may have asked her to keep an eye on you." This statement peaked Happy's interest as he lazily dropped the pool stick on the table. Arms crossed against his chest, he leaned against the wooden structure behind him and listened intently to the one-sided conversation.

"_Well, that bitch dragged me to the doctor._"

"Good," Vegas replied, satisfied at the progress, but careful not to give too much away to the man staring at him intently. He only wanted to bait the trap; it was up to Happy to see it through. "And how'd that go?"

He heard her grumble on the other end. "_It was fine,_" she admitted reluctantly. "_Great, actually. All the tests came back normal. I uh... I got a picture of the baby._"

"I can't wait to see it," he said genuinely, imagining a little half-Maria, half-Happy combination running around causing mayhem. "The picture and the real thing."

"_I think the fact that I'm having a baby is finally hitting me. Like I'm gonna have a child and I'll have to take care of it for the next eighteen years."_

"You freakin' out?"

"_Obviously. But... I'm also kind of excited. It'll be the adventure I always wanted._"

"Not quite how you imagined it though, right?"

"_Again, stating the obvious. But what's done is done. I just have to move on._"

"That's funny. Hap said the same thing, and he sounded as full of shit as you do." This earned him a glare from the man still watching him and probably also from the woman on the phone. These two were fucking perfect for each other.

"_This is what's best for both of us._"

"Yep, he said that too," he replied, smirking at Happy as he took a step forward, wanting to intervene and end the conversation, but also wanting to know what was being said on the other side.

"_Well, then clearly we're on the same page-_"

"On the same page of the wrong fucking book."

He heard Maria sigh as she seemed to give up on the argument, something that she rarely did when she'd been living in Tacoma. "_How's he doing?_" she asked quietly, part of her wanting to hear that he'd been steadily plowing through the line of available women, but the other part knowing that would rip her to pieces.

"Not good. He got into a fight with Kozik the other day. They're still not speaking." Happy quickly closed the distance between them, the look on his face daring Vegas to say another word against him.

"_You say that like it's my fault. Happy wanted me gone. I'm not an idiot, I know he got Juice transferred after that crap at the garage, knowing that I would go with him._"

"Oh, I'd say you two are equally to blame for all of this shit. Now one of you just needs to grow some balls and call the other." Vegas stared directly into Happy's eyes as he said this, the challenge clear in his tone of voice.

"_I want to, V. You don't know how badly I want things to go back to the way they were before all of this started. I would give anything for that to happen – for me to never have gotten pregnant, for Hap to not kill people, for us to not be where we are. But I _did _get pregnant and Hap _is_ a killer. Nothing is gonna change that._"

"You don't need to change anything. You just have to work around it."

She sighed again and rubbed a hand across her eyes. "_Look, just work your Vegas magic and tell Hap to quit being such a dick to his best friend and go deal with his shit. I'm sure he'll be just fine._"

Vegas grinned and turned his attention to the still-angry tattooed man in front of him, not bothering to cover the mouthpiece on the phone. "Maria says you should quit being such a dick to Kozik and go deal with your shit." He got the two reactions he was expecting, as Happy clenched his jaw tensely and Maria began to rave at him on the other end of the line.

"_Has he been standing there the whole fucking time?! I can't believe you, Vegas!_"

"Don't worry, darlin'. As much as he'd love to know what you've been saying, he's only heard my side of the conversation." Happy rolled his eyes at this and turned on his heel, storming out of the clubhouse and into the bright sunlight filling the lot. "He says hi."

"_No he doesn't._"

Yep, like peas in a pod these two.

Outside, Happy's line of sight quickly landed on the previously mentioned blonde, who was busy at work in the garage where Happy himself should have been. He sighed and pulled out a cigarette before reluctantly making his way over to the man he hadn't spoken to since the fight a week prior. Leaning against the set of drawers behind him, he lit the smoke as he watched Kozik fiddle under the hood of a Honda Civic.

"You come over here to punch me again?" the spiky-haired biker asked, his tone snide but also understanding as only Kozik had the ability to be.

"Nah," Happy replied, taking a drag of the cigarette and kicking his shoe absently at the floor.

"Good, 'cause I'd feel bad kickin' your ass again so soon." Happy snorted, but said nothing in his defense of the lighthearted jest. "Pass me the socket wrench, will ya?" He complied with the man's request, and just like that, any animosity between them was laid to rest. They were quiet for a few moments, content to simply be in each other's company like the best friends that they were. "You okay?" Kozik asked finally, cutting a glance out of the corner of his eye towards the other man.

"Fantastic," he replied gruffly, offering no detail. Kozik raised a brow at him, but Happy spoke again before he could say anything. "Don't."

"Don't what?" he asked innocently, sticking his head back under the dark blue hood.

"Don't say it."

"Say what?"

Happy glared at the childish tactic and refused to fall into the trap of bringing up the one thing he didn't want to talk about. _Walk away now, _he tried to tell himself. _Before you get sucked into yet another conversation you don't want to have._

"The only thing I was going to mention..." _here we go, _"...was that I think we should go out tonight. Strip joint, bar, wherever you wanna go, man." Happy squinted cautiously at the man who avoided eye contact by pretending to continue his work on the car. "It's just that you haven't really been out with the guys in awhile..." _since Maria, _"...and you should come have some fun with us."

He'd fucked other women since Maria had left – blondes, Asians, even a redhead. He'd enjoyed his new single status to the fullest extent, the hangarounds flocking to him in waves now that he was once again on the market. But they had all been found around the clubhouse, women that came to him, sought him out.

Despite having nothing to stop him, Happy hadn't been out with the boys to enjoy all that Tacoma had to offer in the form of strippers and easy, drunk females. He hadn't walked into the clubhouse in search of anyone to warm his bed, only accepted offers thrown his way.

The one he wanted, craved, was long gone.

"I've got some shit to do tonight," he muttered quietly, now the one avoiding eye contact. "But maybe this weekend." Dropping his cigarette butt on the ground, he stomped it out with his boot before throwing a quick farewell over his shoulder and heading towards the office to find some work to keep him busy.

Kozik smiled cockily to himself, glad to hear that his friend was still just as hung up over the woman as she had seemed to be when he'd last talked to her. Both also seemed very adamant to not mention each other if they could help it, but Kozik just saw that as a challenge.

_Game on, bitches_.

"Hey, Hap," he called to the man that had just re-entered the garage. "You should call Maria." Happy rolled his eyes and kept walking, hoping it would shut the blonde up. "Seriously, call her."

"No."

"Call her," he said more insistently, setting his tools down on the bench nearby in anticipation for this conversation heading in a more physical direction.

"She's the one that left," Happy said darkly, pausing in between the garage bays to stare down the other man.

"You're the one that sent her best friend to another charter."

"She didn't put up much of a fight to stay."

"You didn't put up much of a fight to make her stay."

"Do you want me to punch you again?"

"You mean, do I want you to _sucker _punch me again?" Kozik took a step closer, a smug smile on his face as he spread his arms at his sides. "If you think that's gonna solve anything, go for it, bro."

Happy continued to glare at the man for a minute before huffing and walking off to another bay, frustration coursing through his body.

* * *

_**July 10, 2002  
**__**Charming, California**__**  
**_

Maria slowly trudged into her and Juice's apartment later that afternoon, wanting nothing more than a quiet night in front of the television. Gemma had given her some work to do at the garage to earn some extra cash while she was pregnant, refusing to let her look for a real job in her condition. But dealing with people and mechanics and paperwork wasn't nearly as easy as it sounded, and she was finding the work to be incredibly draining on her already-exhausted body. Not that she would say no to the money though; she needed all of the cash she could get if her plans to leave Charming were going to happen.

She tossed her purse and keys on the small table by the door and entered the small living room to the left, surprised to find her roommate already glued to the television. "Well hey, stranger."

Juice lazily lifted his head to look over the back of the couch he was laying on. He was usually coming and going at odd hours, much like during their time in Tacoma, and the only time they spent together were the rare few moments they both happened to be at the garage. "Hey," he said with a quiet smile. "Was hoping I'd get to see you tonight."

She walked around the side of the couch and climbed over Juice to settle herself between the back cushions and his body, resting her head tiredly on his chest and wrapping an arm around his ribcage. "I've missed you."

"Missed you too," he replied, his own arm coming to lay across her shoulders and the other grabbing the hand on his stomach. "How're you doing?"

"Fine. Tired. Gemma's got me doing grunt work. Just until I find something better." She added the last part quickly at his confused expression, not wanting to explain to him that she wasn't actually looking for a job here because she planned to disappear soon. "How're you? Getting along with everyone?"

"Yeah, I like it here. Everything is really chill. Jax is sponsoring me as his first prospect."

She stared up at him blankly. "Which means what exactly?"

"He's supposed to be my mentor, I guess. It's his responsibility if I fuck up."

"Right, well, that's good. I'm glad you've got somebody watching out for you." It would make it a little bit easier when the time came to leave.

They laid in silence for awhile, eyes watching the program on the television, but neither really paying attention to it. "You talked to Hap?" Juice asked as casually as he could.

Maria tensed at the question, not wanting to have this conversation yet again. She had told her best friend about the fight that had transpired between her and the Tacoma biker the day she'd decided to leave. Juice therefore assumed that this _lovers'_ _quarrel _was just a phase that the two would get over sooner or later.

"I'll call Hap when he stops killing people for a living," she replied testily, sticking as close to the truth as she could without revealing the child she was carrying inside of her.

Juice rolled his eyes at the statement, thinking she was being a bit dramatic considering the kinds of people that Happy actually killed. He let it go regardless, knowing that his friend would be steadfast in her argument until proven otherwise, and he was not the guy for that job. Instead, he tried a different approach. "I can tell you miss him." She stayed quiet, but started fiddling with a loose string on his shirt. "I haven't seen a real smile from you in weeks. You don't go out unless you have to. You don't socialize with anyone."

"I'm still settling in, that's all. I don't know anyone yet, but I'm working on it," she lied, keeping her eyes glued to the television.

"I can't remember the last time you picked up a paintbrush."

That was true. She hadn't been able to find any inspiration since her arrival in Charming except for a few odd pieces that she finished up. Every time she tried to start a new painting, she ended up staring at the blank canvas for half an hour. "Fine, so I'm having a little trouble dealing with this shit. It's normal."

"It's not normal to move two states away."

She glared up at him, propping her elbow on his chest to balance her head in her hand. "You're supposed to be on my side, Carlos."

"I _am _on your side, babe." He ran a hand affectionately through her long, dark tresses. "I'm always on your side. Doesn't mean I can't think that you're making a huge mistake by not at least giving him a call."

"He's the one that ended things!"

"No, you're the one that left."

"No, he's the one that got you transferred knowing I would go with you."

"Did he specifically say '_I want to end things between us_'?"

Maria narrowed her eyes as her friend refused to give up the fight. "No, but he specifically said '_I could snap your neck with my bare hands_' and I took it as a sign. How would you interpret that?"

"I'd say he was having a very bad day, and in the heat of the moment, he said some things that he probably regrets deeply now, but he can't call to tell you that because he has to protect his biker image." Rolling her eyes, she dropped her head back to his chest and ignored the excuses he gave for the man's behavior. "I bet he misses you as much as you miss him."

"Shut up, Juice."


	18. Get Out Alive

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **Thanks for reading and reviewing the last chapter! This chapter might seem a bit repetitive because of the conversation topics, but they will actually lead to something this time. No Happy, but he'll show up soon. This chapter is a bit of a doozy, so find a comfy place to sit. Hope you enjoy, even though you guys probably won't like what happens at the end.

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
****Chapter 18: Get Out Alive  
**"_If I stay, it won't be long 'til I'm burning on the inside.  
__If I go, I can only hope that I make it to the other side.  
__If you want to get out alive, run for your life."  
_- "Get Out Alive" by Three Days Grace_  
_

_**July 20**__**th**__**, 2002  
Charming, California**_

The California sun was situated high in the clear blue sky as Maria drove down the interstate with the windows down, letting in the dry summer air. With a pair of sunglasses perched on the bridge of her nose, she admired the desert scenery that was presented to her on the journey out of the small town of Charming.

A loud groan from the passenger seat momentarily diverted her attention from the road as she looked at her traveling companion.

"Are we there yet?" Tig asked with a yawn as he sat up to look at their surroundings, noting sadly that they were still on the interstate. "Oh."

Maria laughed and focused her attention back on the empty stretch of pavement ahead of them. "We'll be there in a few minutes. You know, you really didn't need to come with me. I've been to the gallery before. I think I can handle it."

"I'm sure you can, sweetheart. I'm just here for backup in case any snobby buyers try to cheat you out of some cash." She couldn't help but smile as Tig gave her a mischievous grin. In truth, he was there because of the unfriendly relationship that the Sons currently had with the Oakland-based Mayans. They didn't want to take any chances, and that meant having somebody accompany Maria on her trips to the city.

"Well, thank you. I know you guys were up late last night. You must be exhausted." They came to the exit ramp designated for Oakland traffic and turned, heading towards the downtown area where the art gallery was located.

"I don't mind. I get to spend time with my favorite girl." A wink and a laugh followed his statement. "But you can always buy me some lunch to make up for dragging me out of bed at the crack of dawn."

"Ten is the crack of dawn? Well, excuse me. I seem to be unaware of that. But I suppose we can stop and eat if you promise not to beat up any senior citizens while we're here." They pulled into the small lot in front of the gallery and Maria parked the truck in her usual spot, raising her eyebrows at Tig's mock-indignation.

"You're gonna go there? It was one time. _One _time! And mostly an accident," he said, trying to defend his actions from their last adventurous outing.

"Right, of course." She looked at him disbelievingly as they got out of the vehicle. "Make yourself useful and grab the paintings, please." Tig obliged grudgingly and picked up the two canvases from the bed of the truck, then followed the young woman to the storefront.

They shuffled past an elderly couple exiting the building and Maria could hardly contain her laughter as Tig mustered up all of the politeness in his body to smile and greet them, even going so far as to hold the door open for the old lady.

"See? I can be nice," he muttered stubbornly as they entered the spacious room. Maria's eyes swept around as she looked for Diane, the gallery owner. Spotting her at the desk near the back, the Latina made a beeline for the woman, a smile on her face and a greeting at the tip of her tongue.

Tig paced around the room in boredom, his stomach growling in anticipation as he thought of the food that awaited him as soon as Maria was finished. A ringing cell phone disrupted the quiet of the gallery, and he reached into his pocket to silence the mobile device as he received glares from both patrons and employees.

"I'll just go outside and take this," he muttered cheekily as Diane motioned him out of the building. "What's up, V?" he said into the phone as he stepped onto the sidewalk. "How's life in Tacoma?"

"_I'm going to kill somebody, brother._"

The Charming Sergeant-at-Arms snorted at the usually-peaceful man's words and placed his free hand on his hip as he looked into the store window to watch Maria. "Happy is still being his charming self, huh?"

"_How'd you guess?_" Vegas replied sarcastically. "_His new 'I hate the world' bullshit is really grating on my nerves._"

"Yeah, I heard about all of the fights and meltdowns he's been having. Must be real fun."

"_You don't know the half of it. I keep trying to convince him that getting rid of Maria was the dumbest thing he's ever done, but it's like talking to a goddamn wall._"

Tig watched the woman in question as she hung up one of her new paintings in an empty space on the gallery wall, inspecting its position carefully before smiling in satisfaction. "Happy? The killer that I've known for years is heartbroken like some love-drunk pansy? You've got to be kidding me."

"_You haven't seen him. If he doesn't kill himself doing something stupid in the next week, I'm gonna kill him. I need you to talk to Maria. Gem tried, but she obviously didn't accomplish much. I was hoping you'd have better luck._"

"You want _me_ to talk mushy love stuff with a woman? Are you insane?"

"_Besides hauling Happy's ass down there and locking the two in a room together until they make up, I don't have any better ideas._" The older man sighed on the other end of the line. "_Gem told me that Maria was planning on leaving at the end of the month. I'm almost out of time and completely out of options. I can't watch Happy tear himself up anymore._"

"Alright, alright. I'll give it a shot. But I don't fucking guarantee anything." A movement in the reflection on the glass window caught Tig's attention and he frowned at what he saw. "V, I gotta go. I'll let you know how the talk goes." He hung up without waiting for an answer and quickly made his way inside.

Three Mayans watched him go as they sat patiently on their parked motorcycles across the street.

"Mia, you about ready?" Tig asked as he glanced repeatedly over his shoulder at the bikers. They must have caught on to the fact that the Sons were making frequent trips into their territory, even though the men playing escort on the ride to Oakland had been sure to remove their cuts each time and purposefully didn't drive their club-endorsing bikes.

Looking up at him in confusion at his slightly hurried tone, Maria nodded hesitantly. "I just need to pick up my check from Diane's office."

"Well, how about you go do that. I skipped breakfast. If I don't eat soon, I'm gonna pass out." There was no point in freaking her out by telling her that they'd been spotted by a rival gang. Besides, it wasn't her they were after. He waved his hands towards the back of the gallery when she didn't move, then gave her a little shove to get her going. "C'mon, c'mon." Ever since the Sons had _visited_ the warehouse near the border of Charming, Mayans had been popping up everywhere and it was starting to become a problem.

The two exited the building a few minutes later as Tig demanded that he drive. "Okay, jeez. You can drive. What's the hurry?" No sooner had she tossed him the keys did a group of motorcycles fire up, drawing her attention to the threatening bikers situated on the other side of the road. "Oh," she mumbled, then jumped into the truck without being prompted. "What are they doing here?" she whispered loudly as Tig started the engine and peeled out of the lot.

"Probably just want to see what a biker like me is doing in Oakland. No need to worry, sweetcheeks."

Maria kept her eyes locked on the side mirror as they drove, watching the bikes follow them at a steady pace. "Oh yeah, and how long are they gonna tail us?"

"Just until we're off their property. Relax, they're not going to make a scene in the middle of downtown. Not with only three guys." Tig momentarily wondered if Happy had taught Maria to leave a gun in her truck at all times, then made a mental note to get her one just in case. They drove quickly back the way they came out of town and onto the highway. A few miles down the road, the Mayans seemed to be pleased with the distance and disappeared from the rear-view mirror in seconds. Both occupants of the vehicle breathed a sigh of relief and sat back more comfortably in their seats.

"How about some lunch?" Maria looked over at the biker, thinking maybe he had gone crazy. "What? I gotta eat. I'm a growing man."

She smirked and eyed his midsection as she teasingly mumbled, "You can say that again." Tig glared at her and took the next exit, which brought them to a gas station and a small restaurant seemingly in the middle of nowhere. They parked and entered the building, where they were seated by a young waitress at a booth next to the window and, at the biker's request, away from the other customers. Keys and sunglasses were placed to the side of the table as they surveyed the eighties décor of the eatery.

They placed their orders a few minutes later with the same girl, who seemed to be the only one in the place to wait on the small handful of patrons.

"So, Vegas called me," Tig said awkwardly, hoping this conversation that he had promised to have would go quick and smooth.

"I don't want to talk about it."

He sat in silence after hearing her words, wondering if that meant he didn't have to pursue any further conversation. But the quickness in her response made him slightly curious, so he sighed in defeat and tried a different approach. "He said that Happy isn't doing too good." This seemed to get her attention a bit, but her eyes stayed trained on the silverware she was fiddling with. "Said he's been in a really pissy mood since you left."

"He wanted me gone."

Tig nodded, not able to deny that fact. "Yeah, he might have at the time. I think he's starting to realize that wasn't the greatest idea." Maria looked up at him curiously, knowing that if Tig was going through the discomfort of having this conversation with her, then there was some value to what he was saying. "He needs you, sweetheart. He'll never, _ever_ tell you that, but he does. I've seen the way you two act together. And I know that he's not perfect at this whole relationship bullshit, but you have to give him a chance. Guys like us aren't great with these kinds of things. I'm sure if you talked it out, you could go back to being... whatever it is you guys used to be."

"I can't, Tig."

"Can't what? Commit to fucking his brains out every night? From what I hear, you guys had no trouble with that." It was hard not to smile at his words as images of past late night encounters with Happy filled her head. They had done a lot of messing around during their time together. The result of their activities was the reason she was in this situation to begin with. "I don't see why everyone is making such a big deal about this. Just go back to Tacoma, have some great make up sex, and forget any of this bullshit ever happened. You lovebirds will be as good as new."

"What about my paintings at the gallery? I'm starting to build a name for myself here." Maria was trying to give him a legitimate excuse not to go back without telling him the main reason that was currently residing in her pregnant stomach. The gallery wasn't that big of a deal really. All she had to do was ship some new paintings in every few months and have Diane mail her the check.

Unfortunately, Tig saw this same basic solution.

"I'm sure you guys can work something out. It's called FedEx. Hell, the guys could even bring some down during their runs if they had to. Problem solved."

"What about Juice?" This was the one thing she was having a tough time dealing with. Leaving Juice at the end of the month was going to be a challenge. She could only hope that the guys would look after him for her. Maria knew it was selfish in some ways for her to leave Juice, especially without talking to him first.

"What about the idiot? He's a grown ass man. He can take care of himself." That wasn't exactly the response she was hoping to get, as it did little to ease her concerns. Tig narrowed his bright blue eyes at her across the table. "You're planning on leaving Charming anyways, so I know you've already thought about all of this shit. What's the real reason you don't want to go back?" He paused, then rolled his eyes and lowered his voice to a soft mumble as he leaned forward. "It's not the whole killing thing is it? Cause killing people doesn't automatically make you a horrible person."

From his tone of voice, Maria got the idea that he knew much more about the killing side of the club than he was letting on. It started to click in her head that the special bond she had seen between Happy and Tig a few months ago was not just one of longtime friendship, but also something on a primal level that connected their inner animal.

She had yet to see any rage from the man in front of her. However, as she looked at him carefully, she began to notice little things about him – the clench of his hands when someone walked too close to their booth, the way he surveyed the room every few minutes for any sign of danger, the tension in his body even as they sat waiting for their food to arrive. All were habits she had seen in her Tacoma biker on a daily basis.

All were habits of a dangerous man.

Tig snapped his fingers in front of her face as she continued to zone out in her seat. "Hello? Anybody in there?" He raised an eyebrow as she seemed to come back to earth, completely unaware that she'd been staring at him silently long enough to make him uncomfortable.

"That's part of it, yeah." Tig looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to explain further. "I don't know how much you heard, but the day I decided to leave, Happy beat the crap out of some guy in the middle of the garage parking lot over something stupid. And when he was done..." She lowered her voice, mindful of her surroundings. "He came over to me and yelled about how he killed people for a living. About how he enjoyed it. About how he could snap my neck without hesitation..."

Tig sighed, internally debating how much he should say in regards to the illegal activities, but genuinely not wanting to see the woman in front of him suffer. "For starters, we never had this conversation, yeah?" She nodded quickly in agreement, hoping to get some sort of enlightenment on how her life had gotten so fucked up. "Good, now the thing you have to understand about guys like us is that... we sorta have two sides. There's the normal person and then there's the guy who kills people. And sometimes it's hard to keep them balanced and separated. If something comes in to throw off that balance, like a pretty chick for example, it can make the lines get a little blurry, make us start to question ourselves." Maria watched him intently, overwhelmed by the direction the conversation had taken. "Look, I'm not excusing what he did, but it sounds to me like he was feeling a bit... conflicted. Like his sides were kind of fighting against each other instead of working together like they're supposed to. It happens to the best of us."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Maria digesting the new information and Tig inwardly groaning about the can of worms he'd just opened up. How had he even gotten dragged into this bullshit? Sitting almost nose to nose in some crappy vinyl booth in a crappy little restaurant in the middle of nowhere with a brokenhearted twenty-something talking about boys and feelings. Vegas was a dead man next time they met.

"Can I ask you something?" Her voice was hesitant, not sure where the line would get crossed from helpful friendly advice to criminal club business.

Almost immediately regretting it, Tig nodded his head, but added a warning just for good measure. "Remember, nobody ever finds out about this little heart to heart. Now, ask quick before I change my mind."

"Why do you do it?"

The question seemed innocent enough at first. Once surrounded in the context of the conversation however, it took on a whole new definition.

"Why do I kill people?" He shrugged nonchalantly, but his quiet words were laced with meaning. "Because the club needs me to." When he saw that his answer didn't clarify anything for her, he rolled his eyes and elaborated further. "It's not like I go around killing nuns and librarians just for shits and giggles. We kill people that pose a threat to the club, to our family. These guys are gangbangers and thieves and drug dealers. They've got blood on their hands too. Here, we're the only thing that keeps the drugs and crime out of Charming. We're the deterrent that keeps the town safe from the rest of the world. In Tacoma, it's a little different, but..." He could see his words weren't soaking in, so he changed directions. "You knew Hap way before the killer thing came out, right? You slept with him, you hung around the clubhouse, you let Juice join in."

"The first time I saw Hap, he was holding a knife to some guy's throat," she said absently, recalling that night in great detail in her mind.

"Exactly. You knew he wasn't a saint, that the club was a dangerous thing to get mixed up in. But you did it anyways. And after awhile, you felt comfortable with them. Safe. Like nothing could touch you 'cause you had a group of bikers to watch your back."

He had an excellent point with that one. She had never felt more safe or secure than when she was with Happy or at the clubhouse surrounded by the Tacoma Sons. And of course, she had vaguely known about their criminal activities; had heard the stories and rumors constantly at the diner. In hindsight, Happy being a killer really shouldn't have surprised her as much as it had. But still...

"I can't just ignore what I know."

"That's part of club life. You take the good and the bad, and you roll with it."

Good and bad, right. And where did a baby fit in with that?

Before he could say anything else, the young waitress came over with arms full of food. Tig wondered absentmindedly how someone as small as Maria could eat so much and not look like a cow. Although, now that he was thinking about it, she had been gaining some weight since she arrived in Charming. Her face had become more full, and her breasts were delightfully larger in his opinion. Shaking his head to get rid of mental images that would certainly get him killed, he kept silent and began to eat. No way was he going to tell the woman she was starting to get fat. That was also likely to cost him his life.

They ate quietly for the most part, with small talk limited to topics such as how the food was, the weather, and the drive they still had ahead of them. Any further discussion on Tacoma and Happy was kept at bay as they enjoyed their meal. Maria had devoured most of her bacon cheeseburger before Tig was half-way through his. She began working on his fries after she had finished her own, earning a glare from the man.

"Are you hungry?" he asked sarcastically as he looked at his dwindling pile of fries. "You act like you haven't eaten in days."

Maria looked up at him innocently before dropping the fries in her hand back onto his plate. "Sorry, I'm just really craving french fries."

Rolling his eyes, Tig shoved the plate forward, giving her permission to finish them. She smiled gleefully, but made sure to eat them slower than before.

"I spilled my guts to you. Now, you tell me the real reason you don't want to go back to Tacoma." Maria glared at him as she shoved the last of the fries in her mouth, attempting to brainstorm an answer he might believe. "I can see you trying to make something up. Don't you fucking lie to me." He pointed his finger in her face for emphasis and stared her in the eyes. "C'mon, it can't be that bad. You're probably overreacting about something stupid."

"I'm pregnant." The words came out a bit easier in front of Tig, whereas she'd had to force them from her lips to confirm Gemma's suspicions.

He stared blankly at her for a few seconds before a scowl appeared on his face. "What the fuck did you just say?" he asked loudly, his body tensing in preparation for the answer.

"I. Am. Pregnant." Maria spoke slowly in response to his less-than-friendly tone. She supposed it was about time that somebody freaked out at the news.

"You've been fucking around with someone in Charming? Who is it? I swear to God if it's Kyle, I'll kill that little shithead."

Well, this wasn't exactly what she thought he was going to say. She rolled her eyes at his completely off-track brain. "I'm not sleeping with anybody you moron. It's Happy's baby."

This made the biker stare blankly once again as he processed the information. Apparently the idea hadn't crossed his mind. "Hap has a baby?"

"He will in five months, yeah."

"That asshole never told me you were pregnant." He pulled the phone out of his pocket and flipped it open, intent on calling his friend to complain about not being informed of this vitally important piece of news. However, before he could push any buttons, a small hand snatched the device from his grasp.

"Woah there, cowboy. He doesn't know. Nobody does. And I need you to promise not to go running your mouth to anyone about this baby." Maria closed the phone and placed it back on the table. This whole _"Surprise, I'm pregnant"_ conversation was getting a little easier every time she had it.

"Wait a sec, how does he not know?"

Rolling her eyes, she heaved a large sigh and leveled him with a stare. "I'm really gonna have to spell this out for you, aren't I?" Maria spent the next few minutes going over the story she had now told a total of three people, with Tig trying to interrupt every chance he got.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" he shouted, drawing the attention of the restaurant patrons. "You weren't thinking, that's what it was. Are you out of your damn mind? You can't just run away and pretend like nothing happened. He has the right to know he's got a kid."

She shushed him as her eyes darted around the room, taking in the wary gazes of the other diners. "I ran because I had just found out that my baby daddy killed people for a living," she said in a heated whisper. "Besides, I saved him the trouble of kicking me out. Do you really think he wants a kid? Happy can barely take care of himself, much less an actual family."

"That's cause he's never had to. Doesn't mean he can't."

"Oh, please. All he does is drink, fuck, and ride around on his bike playing cops and robbers. How is he supposed to raise a child?" Maria sighed and ran her hands through her long, dark hair. She tried to make her voice softer, not wanting to make their argument anymore public than it already was. "Look, I know this lifestyle is important to you guys, but it's no place for a kid."

"What about Jax? Ope? Hell, Opie even has his own kid, another on the way."

"Yeah, and Donna is afraid every time you guys go out that Opie won't come back. I can't live like that. I don't want my child to have to do that either."

"So it's better for the kid to grow up never knowing its dad?"

"No, but it's better than me having to explain why daddy isn't coming home when Hap gets himself arrested, or worse, killed. Or trying to explain what daddy does for a living and why he comes home covered in blood."

Maria grabbed her sunglasses and keys from the table before getting up and storming out of the restaurant. Tig moved to follow her, then cursed and doubled back. He threw down a few bills, picked up his own sunglasses, and left the building.

"You are not-" He was cut off as she got into the driver's seat and slammed the door closed. "...driving." Growling, he sulked to the passenger door and entered the vehicle. She peeled out of the lot as soon as he was in and headed back to the interstate.

The ride out of Oakland was silent as both of the car's occupants refused to be the first one to speak. Maria gripped the steering wheel tightly as Tig's words set in. It wasn't like he was the only one to disagree with her plans, but he was definitely the most vocal. And she was trying not to let his comment about Jax and Opie change her opinion. Children didn't need to be raised in an environment filled with guns, sex, and breaking the law. Otherwise, they'd turn out to be criminals themselves.

Just like Jax and Opie.

Or worse, they become killers, just like Happy... and Tig.

The man in question sighed loudly and thumped his head against the window. That probably wasn't exactly what Vegas had in mind when he'd asked Tig to have a talk with Maria. It had started okay in his opinion. But then she had to go and drop a bombshell. Vegas had neglected to mention that little tidbit. How was he supposed to react to that kind of news? And the secrecy and lying and running away – Tig rolled his eyes at all the bullshit. It made him think of the possibility that he had more kids out there that he wasn't aware of. But did he really want to know about them? He loved the two he had, as much as a "See you next Christmas" dad could anyways. He looked at the young girl beside him out of the corner of his eye. Maybe the kid had a point in not telling Happy about this baby.

Sighing, he sucked up a bit of his pride and tried to come up with something to say that might mend the situation. They weren't going to get anywhere if they weren't talking at all.

"Look, Mia," Tig finally said, choosing his words carefully. "I probably-"

"Uh, Tig?"

"I'm trying to say something, so can you just be quiet-"

"Tig! I thought you said those Mayans would leave us alone."

"What are you talking about?" He turned around in his seat to look out the back window. "Fucking hell."

Quickly gaining on the old truck were two black vans and a group of motorcycles, whose riders were sporting Mayan cuts.

"What should I do?" Maria asked frantically, her eyes glued to the rear-view mirror as the rival gang drew closer.

"Drive."

They were mere minutes from Sons territory, and if they could just cross that border, they'd be fine. Maria pushed the accelerator to the floor, hoping her poor truck would rise to the occasion and get above sixty miles an hour. As the red needle settled just at the mark indicating sixty, she cursed herself for not getting a newer car when she had the chance.

These Mayans were obviously doing more than just escorting them out of their territory. Maria didn't know what their problem was, but she really didn't want to get involved with them.

The trailing vehicles closed the distance quickly and one black van sped around them. "Where are they going?" she asked hesitantly, only to scream as they veered into her lane in front of them.

"Oh shit!"

"Should I pull over?"

Tig rolled his eyes as he took stock of the Mayan force. "Two guns versus twelve guns, guess who wins?"

"This is not the time for your sarcasm, asshole! What the hell do we do?"

Before he could answer, the piercing sound of bullets hitting glass filled the air. Maria screamed as the window next to her shattered and Tig pulled her down into the seat, covering her as he tried to steer the truck and avoid being shot. It didn't take long for one of the guns to aim at the tires, firing off a few rounds into the rubber and making the truck fishtail across the road. Tig tried to use the steering wheel to correct the direction, but only managed to swing them towards the right shoulder. Their speed combined with the sudden jerk of the wheel did not bode well for the top-heavy truck.

The next thing they knew, the vehicle and its occupants were flying through the air. Tig was tossed around the cabin as the truck flipped over, then landed on its side and continued to roll until it came to a stop upside down. He fell to the ground harshly as the truck abruptly quit moving, the momentum throwing him out of the now glassless front window.

The biker groaned as he laid on his back in the hot desert sand. He vowed to himself that he would definitely wear a seat belt from now on. Listening for sounds of motorcycles, he was glad to find mostly silence, which hopefully meant that the Mayans wouldn't be coming back to check out their handy work.

He felt for any broken bones, but found only that his ribs and left leg were giving him some minor pain. Rolling carefully onto his side, he called out to the car's other inhabitant, knowing she had been smart enough to wear her seat belt. "Maria, I need you to call Clay. My knee is fucking killing me." The only response he got was from the desert birds, which caused him to pick his head up with a wince. He expected to find Maria glaring at him, ready to start a lecture about unsafe child environments and the club owing her a new car.

But that wasn't the scene that greeted him.

Restrained upside down in her seat, Maria appeared to be unconscious. "Maria? Sweetheart, you okay?" More silence led him to cuss and he began to crawl his way towards the truck a few feet away. The closer he got, the more noticeable the red liquid on her forehead became. "Oh, shit. Mia! Wake up!" He moved faster and managed to wedge himself next to her, paling at the amount of blood that was coming from a nasty gash on her head. "Shit, shit, shit. Hang in there, baby."

His leg forgotten, Tig prayed harder than he ever had in his life that the cell phone in his pocket hadn't been rendered useless during the crash. He gave a shout of triumph as he found that it still worked, even with a severely cracked screen. He dialed the emergency services number with shaking hands, anxiously awaiting a voice on the other end.

"Nine-one-one. Please state your emergency."

"I need a fucking ambulance!"


	19. X & Y

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **Ah, so all we had to do to get y'all to review more was to leave a nasty cliffhanger? We'll keep that in mind for future chapters. We're glad you enjoyed the last one, and we think you'll like the direction this chapter takes the story. There's a lot of city jumping back and forth, so try to keep an eye on the locations at the top of each section, but it should be pretty obvious with whichever characters are involved. Let us know what you guys think, otherwise we might be tempted to give you more cliffhangers.

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
****Chapter 19: X & Y  
**"_I'm diving off the deep end.  
__You became my best friend.  
__I wanna love you, but I don't know if I can.  
__I know something is broken and I'm trying to fix it.  
__Trying to repair it any way I can."  
_- "X & Y" by Coldplay_  
_

_**July 20**__**th**__**, 2002  
Charming, Califoria**_

"Well hello there. Aren't you a pretty little thing?"

"I'm your nurse, Mr. Trager." Tig watched as the blonde opposite him narrowed her eyes.

Despite the situation he was in, the biker couldn't help but grin at the strict, middle-aged woman. She had entered his room moments before with a clipboard in hand and black-framed glasses perched on her nose. Her hair was in a tight bun, and she looked like this was the last place she wanted to be.

"Now, if you'd please lay back, I need to stitch some of your wounds."

"Whatever you say, nurse." He wiggled his eyebrows and then awkwardly maneuvered himself on the hospital bed. His arm was in a sling, and he was careful not to move it too much - the thing hurt like a bitch.

The blonde started tending to his wounds and Tig sighed. He'd been in the hospital for about half an hour. Maria had been surrounded by a team of doctors and wheeled who knows where the moment she'd been taken out of the ambulance. He had pestered the hospital staff relentlessly, but he wasn't getting any information about her or the baby.

Sticking his good hand in his pocket and taking out his cell phone, he dialed a familiar number.

"No cell phones allowed, Mr. Trager."

His eyes cut to the woman and he took note of the disapproving look she was giving him. "Yeah, yeah." There were a few moments of silence while he waited for the phone to be picked up, but soon a familiar voice filled his ear.

"_Yeah?"_

"We've got a problem, Clay." Tig cut right to the chase, informing the president of the day's events. "Goddamn Mayans. Tailed us all through Oakland and started shooting when we hit the highway. We crashed and wrecked the car."

"_Shit!"_ A loud bang was heard on the other end, a clear sign that Clay had hit something. _"You okay?"_

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. A few scrapes and bruises, nothing major." Pausing, the biker took a deep breath. "Maria's not though. Last I saw her, she was unconscious."

"_Damn it. She gonna be okay?"_

"I have no idea. Stupid hospital staff won't tell me anything." He glared at the nurse, his blue eyes chilling. Clay cursed again, barking orders at someone. "We're at Mercy Hospital, near Oakland."

"_We'll be there as soon as we can, Tigger."_ The sound of muffled voices filtered through the phone before he spoke again _"Gemma's coming too. She'll get the doctors talking."_

"Yeah, okay." Pressing the end button, Tig's fingers slid over the keyboard, typing another number. His finger hovered over the send button, unsure. Calling without any concrete facts about Maria would be worse than not calling at all. Flipping the phone shut, Tig put it back in his pocket. He'd wait just a little longer to call Tacoma.

"Hey, Nurse…" Trailing off, he looked at the name tag on her shirt. "Grayden. I bet you know what's happening with my friend, don't you?"

The woman looked at him over her spectacles. "Maybe."

Snorting, Tig shook his head. "Figures. Can you fill me in?"

"I can only disclose that information to family members, Mr. Trager."

"Oh come on! That's bullshit and you know it." The nurse didn't appreciate him raising his voice and she made sure he knew that, giving a good yank on one of his stitches. He winced, barely stopping himself from voicing his protest. "Just give me something. I'm worried about her."

Sighing, the nurse put down the needle. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything. The doctors are still running tests."

"Yeah, thanks." He watched as the woman gathered the things she'd used and made her way out of the room. He got his cell out again and quickly dialed a number.

It seemed like forever before someone on the other end picked up. Tig was getting tired of waiting when a raspy voice answered him.

"_What?" _Tig was in no way afraid of the man on the other side of the phone, but sometimes that voice gave him the chills. He could just picture the guy it belonged to, calm but dangerous beyond words.

Swallowing, Tig opened his mouth. "Hap."

"_What's up, killer?" _

"Me and your girl… we got into an accident."

"_What?" _The Tacoma biker no longer sounded calm. _"What did you just say?"_

"Fucking Mayans, man. Ran us off the road."

"_How exactly did they do that?" _Happy was now growling, the anger barely contained in his voice.

"Shot at us on our way out of Oakland." Pausing, he minded his next words. "Maria was driving. She panicked, we crashed. Ambulance brought us to a local hospital."

Tig heard swearing in the background, knowing his friend would be pacing as he tried figure out the situation. _"Is she okay?"_

"Dunno, they're still doing tests. Assholes won't tell me anything."

"_I'm coming down. Be there by morning."_

The dial tone caused Tig to grimace and curse. This had disaster written all over it.

* * *

_**Tacoma, Washington**_

Happy tore through the clubhouse and down the hall. Bursting into his dorm, he gave no mind to the door as it hit the wall with a bang. He got his worn duffel bag from underneath the bed, quickly stuffing some clothes into it. Placing multiple weapons and boxes of ammunition on top of the clothing, he zipped the bag and hoisted it over his shoulder, going back the way he came.

Emerging on the lot, he noticed a few of the guys playing cards on the picnic table. Vegas and Kozik had teamed up against Bronne and the prospect, steadily taking their money and various valuable possessions. He made his way toward them, catching Vegas' eye.

"Going on a road trip, brother?"

Happy noticed a hint of satisfaction in the other man's voice and narrowed his eyes. "Maria and Tig were run off the road by some Mayans. They're both in the hospital."

No sooner had the words left his mouth, the playing cards were thrown on the table and the patched members rose from their seats.

"Give us five minutes, man." Kozik gestured towards the clubhouse, the other guys already on their way. "We need to get a few things."

Happy nodded and looked at Fish, the only one still sitting on the table, cards in hand and a dumbfounded expression on his face. "Prospect, why don't you go and tell Boss what's going on."

"Tell Boss what?" The voice of the president came from behind Happy. "You goin' somewhere?"

"Charming." Turning around, he observed the older man. "Maria and Tig were in an accident. Mayans."

Boss sighed and nodded his head, knowing it was no use to argue.

Watching as his brothers made their way out of the clubhouse, all armed to the teeth and carrying duffel bags, Happy turned around and joined them.

"Hey, Hap!" Glancing behind him, he looked at Boss. "Call me when you know how she's doing, okay?"

Getting on his bike, Happy raised his hand and waved. He put his helmet and revved the bike, hearing his companions do the same. There was gonna be hell to pay when he got to Charming.

* * *

_**Charming, California**_

Tig was getting restless. Pacing in the hallway, he threw a dirty look at the nurses' station. Two hours. That's how long it had been since they'd set foot inside the hospital. He still didn't know what had happened to Maria. Nobody was giving him any information. Pestering the hospital staff for news about her hadn't helped one bit.

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes. Happy was going to kill him when he got here.

Thankfully, the cavalry had arrived. SAMCRO and its queen stepped off of the elevator and made a beeline to him. Gemma looked around before focusing her gaze on Tig. "What's going on with Maria? Anyone talking?"

"Nah. Nurses ain't sayin' shit and her doctor hasn't showed up yet. Hap's on his way though."

"Well, let's make sure the doc comes this way soon. I'm gonna go get the ball rolling, get you transferred back to home ground at Saint Thomas." Thumping Tig on the shoulder, Clay made his way to the nurses' station. He didn't want to stay in Oakland any longer than necessary.

Having them transferred didn't take long, and Clay rejoined the small group just as a nurse came back with Maria's doctor. Gemma had the 'protective mama bear' act down to a science, and she'd scared a poor young nurse into going to get the doctor.

He was a middle aged man with kind blue eyes and a smile. Stopping in front of them, he gave a chart he was carrying to a passing nurse before addressing them.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Ashford. I understand you're the family of Miss Ana Navaro?"

"Yeah, I'm her brother." Juice nervously stepped forward, quick with the little white lie, and drew the doctor's attention to him just as Tig mouthed '_Ana?_' behind the doctor's back. "Is she okay?"

"Miss Navaro is doing well. We ran some extra tests merely as a precaution because of the baby, but they are both fine. We gave her something to help her sleep, but she should be awake in a few hours." He smiled at them all. "We want to keep her overnight for observation, to make sure both mother and child are okay before releasing her. Just to be on the safe side."

Gemma sighed in relief and, ignoring the shocked looks the guys were sporting, smiled at Doctor Ashford. "Can we see her?"

"She can have visitors, but just immediate family at the moment. A nurse can give you her room number and escort you there if you'd like." He looked at his watch, then excused himself.

"Thanks, Doc." Juice shouted after him before looking at Gemma. "Baby? What baby?" Chibs, Bobby and Clay looked at her too, equally curious.

"You're gonna be an uncle, kid. Congratulations," she said to the prospect.

"Since when is Maria pregnant?"

Tig answered Bobby's question, surprising Gemma with his knowledge. "Since about four months ago apparently."

"Shite, didn't see that one coming," Chibs said with a shake of his head.

Clay looked at his wife, raising an eyebrow. "I guess she had some help keeping it secret, didn't she?"

"What are you saying?" Gemma looked defiantly at him. "'Cause if you're saying I helped her hide it from you guys, then you're right." She snorted, looking at them all. "Not that she needed me anyway. You're all as blind as bats. Wouldn't know a pregnant woman if she hit you in the face."

Chibs shook his head, trying to put the pieces of convoluted puzzle together. "So, it's Hap's baby, right? Then what the hell is she doing here?"

"Hap doesn't know." They all looked at Juice, surprised by his grim expression and cold voice. "Bastard knocked her up and she ran away, trying to save his skin." He shook his head, snorting. "Typical Maria."

Tig nodded before adding his two cents. "It's not quite that simple, but their reasons for avoiding each other are more complicated than I care to explain."

"This shit storm is going to bite us in the ass. Someone has to tell him." Clay winced when the words left his mouth, not anticipating the punch to the arm delivered by his wife. He was about to talk again when his phone rang, interrupting the would-be argument. He looked at the screen and then at the bikers around him. "Happy."

"You won't say anything if you know what's good for you, Clay. You tell him she's fine and he'll turn around and go right back to Tacoma," Gemma threatened him, watching as he answered the phone.

"Yeah?" he asked, glaring at his mischievous wife as he nodded reluctantly in response to her.

"_Hey, Prez." _Hap's voice was muffled by the passing cars, suggesting that they had made a quick stop somewhere along the interstate. _"I'm on my way to Oakland, be there by early morning. How's Mia?"_

"Docs aren't tell us anything." Clay sighed and looked at Gemma, finding little comfort in her smile. "We're getting both her and Tig transferred to Charming, so meet us there."

"_Yeah, okay. We gotta sit down, talk about that Mayan problem you got."_ The Charming president could just picture Happy narrowing his eyes. _"Shit got personal. I want in on the retaliation."_

"No problem, brother. Just get here and we'll talk it out." Flipping his phone shut, Clay ran a hand through his hair. "Hap's gonna be in Charming by morning, and he's very pissed off."

The rest of the guys nodded and Gemma went to sit in one of the plastic chairs in the hallway. Juice looked at them and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"I'm gonna go see Mia." He turned and made his way to the nurses' station, hoping this situation didn't go to hell in a handbasket.

* * *

_**Chehalis, Washington**_

Taking one last drag from his cigarette, Happy stomped it out in the dirt and hung up his phone. Walking towards his bike, he joined Kozik and Vegas. They were waiting for Bronne to pay for the gas so they could be on their way. They had a strict schedule to keep.

"So?" Vegas looked at him with a worried expression. "What's up?"

"Clay's getting them transferred to Charming. We're meeting them there."

"You ask how Maria's doing?" He was fishing for information, but he had to know how she was. "Is she okay?"

"Of course I asked." Happy's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "They haven't heard anything yet." He knew that Vegas and Maria were close back in Tacoma, but right now, he was on edge. He was angry and he needed to take it out on someone. That someone just happened to be an uncharacteristically troubled Vegas. And as he took in the man's pale face and nervous energy, Happy couldn't help but feel that he was missing something. "You okay?"

Turning his back to him, Vegas unzipped his duffel, pretending to look for something. "Fine, just worried about Maria."

"Yeah, that's my point. I haven't seen you this worried since Bronne got shot awhile back."

"It's the same thing. Someone I care about is laying in a hospital bed right now. Excuse me for being worried." The older man's voice was gruff as he avoided making eye contact, which only fueled an already irrational Happy.

"You've known Bronne a hell of a lot longer than you've known Maria. Definitely not the same thing." The biker grabbed Vegas by the shoulder and turned him around so they were standing eye to eye. "Why so defensive?" Silence reigned between the two as Kozik approached cautiously.

"C'mon, Hap." Kozik could see that this was spiraling out of control very fast. "We're all worried, man."

"What aren't you telling me, V?" Happy's stare pinned the man in his spot as they both stood their ground.

"I care about her and I'm worried." Vegas spoke slow and clear, hoping to make his point so that the subject would be dropped.

"Were you fucking her on the side? That why you're so worried?" If he could think clearly, Happy would've seen the ridiculousness of his words. High on anger, adrenaline and fear though, that was the road his mind wanted to take. At the very least, he could take his frustration out on somebody nearby.

Vegas was caught off guard by this line of questioning, needing a few seconds to string a coherent sentence together. "Are you even hearing yourself?"

"So you guys _were_ screwing around?" The angry biker stalked towards his friend and gave him a hard shove. "How long?" He shoved him again, making the bigger man stumble.

"You're out of your goddamned mind." Vegas shoved him back. He didn't care if Happy was acting like this because he was scared about Maria's condition, he wasn't about to let himself be bullied by a hothead. "She's my friend. She's _just_ a friend."

"Friend my ass." The bald man squared his shoulders, ready to pounce.

Vegas rolled his eyes, growing tired of the situation and the accusations. "Yeah, right. I've been fucking her behind your back all this time," he replied, throwing his hands in the air in annoyance. "You're being such a moron."

The sarcasm not registering, Happy took another step forward and shoved him again. Vegas was about to retaliate, but didn't get the chance as Happy's fist flew toward his face.

"Say that again, why don't you?!"

Vegas stumbled and shook his head, trying to recover. While Happy had landed a solid punch, the surprise had gotten to him more. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" He put his hands up, blocking his friend's punches. "If you'd treated her better, you'd know exactly why I'm worried, you asshole!"

Happy pushed at Kozik, who had entered the fray and was trying to restrain him. Successfully evading his captor, he ran at Vegas and tackled him, causing them both to fall to the ground. "You're probably the reason she ran off!" Happy screamed furiously as they rolled around in the dirt of the parking lot, each one trying to get the upper hand. "This shit is your fault!"

"Trust me," Kozik muttered as he received an elbow to the face. "That was all your doing, Hap."

"You're the one that sent her packing! Don't blame this shit on me!" Vegas grunted as he wrestled with the lithe tattooed man.

Exiting the small convenience store with a whistle, Bronne was stopped in his tracks by the parking lot brawl in front of him. "Shit, you guys can't play nice for three minutes? What the hell happened?" Kozik could merely give him a pleading look as Bronne tried to help him separate the pair.

"For fuck's sake!" Having had enough of the tattooed biker, Vegas retaliated with a punch square to the face. It was enough to stun his friend and allow the other two to haul him a small distance away. "She's pregnant, you idiot! You knocked her up. That's why I'm worried."

Happy heard the words, but they didn't register at first and he continued to struggle against the men holding him. The dust settled and the bigger man could be seen sitting on the ground, running a hand over his head.

"What did you say?" Happy's raspy voice ended the silence between them as he finally settled down and his friend's words started to sink in. His tone was cold and detached, matching the look in his eyes.

"Maria's pregnant. That's the reason she left. She didn't know how you'd react, so she left." Vegas got up with a sigh, his eyes never leaving Happy.

"She's having my kid?" He repeated the information over and over again in his head, disbelief written all over his face.

"Well, it sure as hell isn't mine," Vegas said in reference to the man's previous accusations.

"You knew and you didn't tell me? What the fuck were you thinking, V?!"

"She didn't want you to know, man. What was I supposed to do?" Vegas shrugged, knowing this conversation was bound to happen sooner or later. "What would you have done if she had told you? Marry her and play house? Buy a car seat for your bike?" He snorted as he shook his head. "You ready for a family, brother? Daddy by day, killer by night?" Vegas didn't doubt Happy's ability to be a good father, but he hoped this line of questioning would at least get the guy to actually think about the situation a little.

Happy began to pace like a caged animal, his friends looking on warily. "Doesn't matter. She should have told me. _You_ should have told me."

"It wasn't my place. I did all I could to get you two to talk." He sighed and approached his friend, who had now calmed down a bit and seemed to have regained his senses. "She was planning on telling you that day you kicked the shit out of the street kid. She was at the clubhouse because she was looking for you, so that she could tell you about the baby. And then after your little outburst, she decided you would never want it and she left. Didn't think she could raise a kid in that kind of environment."

Not believing all of the shit that had been piled on to his plate in the past few hours, Happy let out a groan and ran his hands over his face. What the hell was he supposed to do now? Vegas was right, as always. What was he going to do with a kid? He didn't know the first thing about raising a child. That was assuming Maria would even let him anywhere near the baby after what happened last time they spoke.

Which was also assuming that both Maria and the baby were still alive when he got to Charming.

Should he still go after all this? Maybe it was better for him to leave them in peace. They'd be better off without him, just like he'd always said. On the other hand, he still needed to kill the bastards that had caused this mess to begin with.

With a defeated sigh, he turned to his friend of nearly fifteen years for help. The man always seemed to know what to say without being patronizing or judgmental. It was a rare find in the biker community, but Happy was glad to have him.

"What the hell am I supposed to do, V?"

Vegas had never seen the silent killer so helpless and desperate. The vulnerability was so out of character that it had rendered Kozik and Bronne speechless on the sidelines as they watched what would probably be a once in a lifetime event. Closing the distance between him and Happy, Vegas laid a firm hand on the other man's shoulder and looked him directly in the eyes.

"You go get your girl."


	20. Never Meant to Be So Cold

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **Thanks for reading and reviewing! Time to find out what happens when Happy steps in Charming. This chapter picks up very late in the evening on the night of the crash/into early morning the next day. Hope you enjoy!

_There are brief mentions of abortion in this chapter, a minor gloss-over that shouldn't trigger anyone, but be aware that it is there. We'd just like to point out again that the views and opinions expressed by the characters in this story aren't necessarily the same that we the authors hold, so please don't leave us your hate-mail on the morality of the situation._

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
****Chapter 20: Never Meant To Be So Cold  
**"_I __never really wanted you to see the screwed up side of me  
__that I keep locked inside of me so deep,  
__It always seems to get to me.  
__I never really wanted you to go.  
__So many things you should have known.  
_- "Cold" by Crossfade_  
_

**July 21****st****, 2002  
****Charming, California****  
**

It was just after midnight in Charming, California, and all was quiet at Saint Thomas hospital. Patients were sleeping peacefully in their rooms, and a skeleton crew of nurses made their rounds with little incident. So when the elevator door opened with a loud "_ding_," the sole nurse at the main desk of the third floor looked up in surprise. Her frown turned into a sly smile as a biker with a mohawk and lightening bolt tattoos entered her line of sight.

He whistled merrily as he walked the empty hall, a vase of colorful flowers in his hand. Juice had really lucked out when he learned that one of his favorite fuck buddies was a nurse who happened to be working the late shift that night. Therefore, as the mean middle-aged attendant from the previous shift had kicked him out at the end of visiting hours, Angela, the young woman currently fluffing her hair as he approached, had told him to come back later when things had settled. She said that he could stay the night as long as he promised to behave. There was also an unspoken agreement that she would be getting a lot of sex out of the deal in the near future, which Juice would happily deliver.

Stopping in front of the circular desk, he leaned against the counter and pulled a single yellow daisy from the bunch. "For you, my lady," he said with a cocky smirk as he handed the flower to her. She merely giggled in response and twirled it in her fingers as she bat her eyelashes. With a wink, Juice continued his journey down the hallway towards the room at the very end.

No matter how many times the doctors told him that Maria was perfectly fine, he just couldn't bring himself to believe it. They had explained to him repeatedly that she had just been knocked unconscious during the accident and had woken up not long after with nothing more than some cuts and bruises. The need for tests and overnight observation was only because they wanted to make sure the baby hadn't been harmed.

But none of that registered with Juice since he still hadn't talked to her. There were only a few times during the past ten hours that Maria had been awake, none of which occurred while he was in the room. The doctors insisted that she needed to rest as much as she could, and therefore had been pumping her full of sleeping medications, much to the frustration of her visitors.

He entered the room quietly, trying not to wake her, and was surprised to find her propped up against some pillows and flipping boredly through the channels on the television.

"Mia! I'm so glad you're awake." Juice set the vase of flowers on the small table as he rushed to the bed, scooping her into a hug as gently as he could. "You scared me to death."

"I'm fine, Carlos," Maria mumbled into his chest as they clung to each other. His arms gave her a sense of security that she'd been missing lately. "I promise, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly as he pulled back slightly to look at her.

"I'm sure. Cuts and bruises, but I'll live." He nodded and separated from her long enough to situate the lone plastic chair as close to the bed as possible. "You see my stitches?" she asked, pointing to the bandage on the left side of her forehead. "That's gonna leave a wicked scar. Is it weird that I'm kind of excited?"

"Yeah, it's weird," he said with a shake of his head as he grabbed her hand in his.

"How's my poor truck?"

"Pretty smashed, with a nice collection of bullet holes on one side."

Maria cringed as images of her vehicle during the accident surfaced in her mind. "I can imagine. Guess I'll be car shopping when I get out of here." She paused with a roll of her eyes and a sigh. "Assuming I _ever_ get out. What's the latest on my release date? Earlier they said I'd be out tonight, but here I am."

Laughing at the annoyance on her face, Juice replied, "They said you could go around lunch later today, just so they can be sure you're okay."

She groaned loudly and dropped her head dramatically onto the pillows behind her. "They're killing me! I feel fine. It's nothing some aspirin won't cure." She lowered her voice conspiratorially as she leaned towards him slightly. "You know I hate hospitals, Carlos. Get me out of here!"

"Hey, if the doctors say they want to keep you a little longer, then you're staying. I don't want to take any chances. Especially with the baby."

Averting her eyes from his stare, Maria bit her lip nervously as the subject she had been waiting for was finally brought up. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. You were just having such a good time with the club and..."

"And you didn't want to ruin it. You knew I would drop the club in an instant to help you with the baby. And you knew I'd tell you to call Happy." She smiled at her friend's knowledge of how she thought. It made the conversation much easier when she didn't have to explain her motives. "When were you planning on leaving Charming?"

Her head shot up in surprise at the question. Apparently he knew her too well. "In the next few weeks. I can't hide this thing much longer." She placed a hand on her rounded stomach, which was framed much better in the thin hospital gown than in the baggy clothes she'd been wearing recently.

"You still gonna leave? Even though everyone here knows you're pregnant?"

"I have to. Happy will find out soon, and I can't even imagine how pissed he's gonna be when he does. I'd like to be long gone by then."

It occurred to Juice that he should probably tell her that Happy was currently on his way down with only the knowledge of Maria on her possible deathbed. But then he thought of how angry Gemma would be if he spoiled her plans at making the pair confront each other and decided to keep his mouth shut about that and simply replied, "Okay."

"Okay? That's it?"

"Well, you've obviously made up your mind. So I don't see the point of trying to convince you to stay."

She narrowed her eyes in suspicion, expecting him to put up much more of a fight over the issue. "Okay then." Juice merely smiled back cheerfully, knowing Happy would be here in a few hours to hopefully fix everything.

The two friends talked for quite a while, about the baby, future plans, and anything else that came to mind, until a nurse came in, surprised to find her patient awake, and immediately administered a drug that put Maria back to sleep in a matter of minutes.

* * *

It was nearing eight in the morning when the Tacoma bikers pulled into the parking lot of Saint Thomas Hospital. They were greeted by Clay, Bobby, and Chibs, who had arrived just a few minutes before. The president's brow furrowed as he took in the beat-up appearance of both Happy and Vegas as the group approached them.

"What the hell happened to you two?" he asked, not sure if he really wanted to know the answer.

"It's a long story," Vegas replied quietly, cutting his eyes over at Happy, who was standing with his arms crossed and an angry expression on his face.

"You find the fuckers that ran them off the road? I'm ready to kill some Mayans."

"Relax, Hap. We're workin' on it." Clay was trying to be reasonable with the man, but one look at his face said that wasn't going to be an easy task.

"That's not what I want to hear," he growled in response.

"I know, but that's all we got so far. We'll find them. In the mean time, you need to go inside and see Maria."

Running his hands across his head, Happy sighed and looked to the ground, his anger fading slightly. "How is she?"

"She's fine," Clay replied with a smile. "Got scraped up pretty bad, but she'll be okay."

"Then maybe we should head back to the clubhouse and get to work on finding these guys." Happy turned to head towards his bike, but was stopped as Kozik blocked his path.

"You need to go upstairs," he said firmly, holding up a hand to silence the man as he tried to protest. "Go upstairs and see her. Now."

In any other situation, Happy would have knocked the blonde out for taking that kind of tone with him and giving orders. However, judging by the looks he was getting from the rest of the group, they all had the same idea. Releasing a heavy breath, he nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah."

It took him almost ten minutes, but he finally wandered up to the third floor and down to the end of the hall where he was told Maria's room was located. Gemma was standing to the left of the door, looking in through the window at the patient who, much to Happy's delight, was fast asleep. Juice was sitting in a chair next to the bed, looking as though he himself could use some rest.

"He's barely left her side since the accident," Gemma commented softly, not bothering to turn her head as Happy came to a stop next to her. "He's a good kid."

"Yeah, he is." They stood in silence for awhile, watching and waiting, then Happy spoke again. "She's pregnant."

"I know."

Of course she knew. He shook his head and ran a hand over his face, trying to rid himself of the oncoming headache this situation was giving him. "How the fuck did all of this happen, Gem? One minute we were fine, we were having fun. And then it just all went to shit."

The older woman turned to face him, leaning against the window as she refocused her attention. "Allow me to let you in on a little secret: love requires hard work." His eyes hardened at the four letter word, but never left the sleeping woman in the next room. "I know you don't like that word, but if you didn't love her, you wouldn't be so frazzled. You would have moved on and forgotten all about her. Instead, you've just driven twelve hours while wondering how you're going to get your girl back and raise a child. The fact that you're even considering the possibility of doing this is all the information you need." She smiled at him with motherly affection, marveling at the differences in the man in front of her. "You love her and she loves you. That's all that matters. You'll figure out the rest later."

"What the hell would I do with a kid? I don't know the first thing about them." He braced his hands against the glass and sighed. "She needs to take that baby and get as far away from me as possible."

"Well, that decision isn't up to you," Gemma said sternly, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's your job to do the best you can. You'll just have to learn on the way." Silence reigned for a few minutes while he thought things over. "I know you still have doubts, but talk to her before you decide what you want to do."

Happy nodded, then shoved his hands into his pockets and took a few steps back. "I guess I'll talk to her later. I don't want to wake her up."

She quickly grabbed his arm and stopped his exit, pushing him towards the closed door. "The docs knocked her out with some medication. She won't be up for hours, but you can still sit with her. Now get in there."

"But-"

"At the very least, you can talk to Juice. Poor boy could use some reassurance." He gave her a disbelieving look, silently asking her if she recalled his abilities of comforting and being nice. Gemma's only response was to smirk and place a hand on her hip, staring him down until he sighed in defeat.

"No promises," he muttered in annoyance, before slowly opening the wooden door and entering the room. It was quiet, except for the beeping of a small heart monitor. There were numerous vases filled with an assortment of flowers located strategically throughout the room, along with balloons and a large, fluffy teddy bear he could only guess was a gift from Juice.

The man in question looked up as the door creaked to a close, relief flooding his face as he recognized the newcomer. He stood up with a quick stretch and crossed the tiny room to greet him with a hug.

"I'm glad you're here, Hap," Juice said quietly and thumped him on the back before releasing him.

"Me too, kid. How you holdin' up?"

"I'm good now that I know she's okay. I'll be much better when we're out of here though."

Happy nodded, grateful he wouldn't have to be giving a pep talk to an emotionally unstable biker. "I heard you adjusted fine to Charming life."

"Yeah, I like it. A lot. Kinda miss Tacoma, but it's warmer down here."

They both smiled at the comment as they took in Maria's sleeping form a few feet away. "How's she getting along?"

Juice shrugged and thought about his reply momentarily. "Well enough, I guess. She doesn't spend as much time at the garage as she did in Tacoma. Sort of keeps to herself and her art. But she likes everyone and they seem to like her too."

"That's good."

"Hap, there's something you should know..."

"She's pregnant, I heard." Juice's shocked expression would have been funny if not for the subject of discussion. "Vegas told me yesterday."

"Oh... right." He took a moment to collect his thoughts, jumping forward in the conversation he had been working out in his head. "Well, she was planning on leaving before all of this happened. She says she's still going to after she gets out." A curious look from Happy made him continue. "Maria knew you'd find out eventually and was afraid of what your reaction would be. She didn't want to be here when you showed up."

"Nobody told her I was coming?"

"Gemma threatened to kill anyone who did. She's been determined to get you two in a room together for quite a while now."

Happy scoffed and rolled his eyes as an understanding hit him. "Sounds like she's been talking to Vegas. Should have seen that one coming." Laughing lightly, the pair fell silent once again until the Tacoma biker spoke a few minutes later. "Why didn't she just tell me?"

"You'd have to ask her for the exact reasons, but from what I gathered during our conversation this morning, she was just scared. Scared of being a mom, of your reaction, of how it would affect you and the club. She knew you didn't want a kid and that a kid didn't belong in the life you guys had. I guess she thought not telling you was the best option for everyone."

"That decision wasn't up to her," he muttered, repeating the words he'd heard only minutes ago.

"I think she had the idea in her head that you'd make her get rid of the baby when you found out."

To tell the truth, the thought had crossed his mind a few times, but he knew Maria would never go for it. And somewhere, a part of him would never allow it either, even if he did decide that fatherhood wasn't his thing. Killing your own kid was cold, even for his standards.

With a smile, Happy replied, "Nobody can make her do anything. She'll just start cussing you out in Spanish."

Juice laughed and nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, she's good at that." He pulled his hands from his pockets and took a few steps towards the door. "I'm gonna get some coffee. Give you a few minutes to... talk or whatever. I'll see ya later." Before Happy could protest, the prospect was out the door.

He looked around the room with a sigh, wondering what he was supposed to do now that they were alone. Should he talk to her, even though she couldn't hear him? Should he just sit there and stare at her? Or should he sneak out of the hospital while Gemma had abandoned her post at the door in order to accompany Juice on his quest for coffee?

While the latter idea sounded incredibly appealing at the moment, he knew he would get an earful from the woman when she saw him later. Instead, he took residence in the recently-vacated chair next to the bed and simply watched Maria sleep.

His life had taken a complete one hundred and eighty degree flip in the past few months. He wasn't the kind of guy that should be going through this sort of stuff. Relationships, babies, heartache... love. These things were for normal people with normal nine-to-five jobs and normal lives.

He was a fucking biker.

A sex-loving, liquor-drinking, gun-running, money-making, law-breaking, people-killing biker.

There was no part of him that had ever thought about falling in love and settling down. His nights consisted of a new girl to fuck and multiple bottles of alcohol to drink as he partied with his fellow Sons. He was the type of man that laughed at all of the normal, boring people with two and a half kids, white picket fences, and a golden retriever named Sparky.

And yet, here he sat next to a woman that had gotten so deep under his skin. So deep that he couldn't get rid of her, no matter how hard he tried. This was also the same woman that had made him second guess the job he had loved for so long. And she had almost cost him his position in the club due to the odd feelings she had instilled in him when he wasn't looking.

The more he tried to deny it, the more he realized that he had become a changed man. Granted, he still loved to hurt and kill people. But now he actually thought about what he was doing, instead of acting first and thinking later. And while Boss hadn't seemed too pleased with his new-found tendencies, Happy was sure he would like it more than the constantly angry phase he had been so fond of lately.

But in the scheme of things, it didn't really matter. From what he'd been told, Maria had no intention of talking to him, much less getting back together. Which supported his idea that they would be much better off apart.

Because she was pregnant, and there was no part of him that had ever wanted a child. He hated when they screamed, and he absolutely refused to change dirty diapers. He couldn't find any positive aspect about them. Besides, a child didn't need to be around the type of things he did for a living. Even him and his twisted mind knew that a clubhouse full of drunk, law-breaking bikers was no place to raise a kid.

So he would just have a little chat with Maria when she woke up, make sure they were on speaking terms again, and then send her on her way with some cash to somewhere suitable for a baby and far away from him.

That would work, right?

Mentally reassuring himself that it was a good plan, Happy stood up and placed a quick kiss to Maria's forehead before exiting the room. He made his way down the corridor, anger building with each step as he remembered a quick conversation he'd had before leaving her in Charming all those days ago.

He met Gemma and Juice at the waiting room down the hall, both holding a cup of hot coffee in their hands.

"Where's Tig?"


	21. Almost Lover

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **Here's the chapter that you guys have been waiting for... sort of. Let us know what you think of the ending. But not to fret, there are still 2 chapters left. Also, we've gone back and changed it so that Hap was never the Vice President of the Tacoma charter. Back when we started writing this story originally at the very beginning of season 2, we didn't know much about the character so we just gave him that role. Now, knowing him more as the soldier type, we realize he'd never be VP. This change has no affect on the story whatsoever, but we thought it was at least worth mentioning. We've going back through old chapters and changing any mentions of this title. That out of the way, enjoy the new chapter!

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
****Chapter 21: Almost Lover  
**"_Goodbye my almost lover,  
__Goodbye my hopeless dream.  
__I'm trying not to think about you,  
__Can't you just let me be?"  
_- "Almost Lover" by A Fine Frenzy_  
_

**July 21st, 2002**  
**Charming, California**

Entering the lot at Teller-Morrow, Happy parked his bike and made his way to the clubhouse, oblivious to everything around him as he entered the building.

"Happy! Hey, Hap!"

He ignored Vegas' shouts and let the door shut behind him, the smell of smoke and beer invading his senses. His eyes found their target slouching at the end of the bar.

The Tacoma biker was next to Tig in a few quick strides, the hangarounds scrambling to get out of his path. Shaking the man's shoulder, Happy waited for him to look up and narrowed his eyes when their gazes locked.

"Brother."

"Hap, hey man." Tig stood up and made to hug the other man, resignation filtering briefly across his face when Happy pushed him back.

"What the hell happened?"

"They came at us so fast. I dunno." Tig shrugged his shoulders, at a loss for words. He knew he should apologize, but he was sure that wasn't going to be enough for Happy. Not by a long shot.

"You don't know?"

"I'm sorry, man! Assholes came after me, not Maria. She was just there." Running a hand through his curly hair, the Sergeant at Arms sighed. "She wasn't supposed to get hurt."

"But she did! She's in a damn hospital bed and you're here, enjoying yourself!"

"Look, man. I don't know what you want me to say." Throwing his hands up, Tig turned his back to Happy. "I know sorry doesn't cut it, but that's just all I got right now." He'd been beating himself up since the accident, knowing it wasn't really his fault, but not able to place the blame elsewhere. He'd made a promise to look after the woman when she arrived and had managed to fail miserably in just a few short months. It wasn't like him to feel guilty, but he hated not keeping his end of a deal.

"Goddamn right, it ain't gonna cut it." Mumbling under his breath, Happy grabbed Tig's shoulder and forcefully turned him around. Not paying any attention to the other occupants of the room, he let his fist fly, delighted by the sickening thud that echoed when it connected with his opponent's jaw.

Stumbling back, Tig was barely able to steady himself on the bar before he was yanked forward again, another one of Happy's fists getting familiar with his face.

"Shit, man!"

Happy was vaguely aware of the other guys trying to restrain him, but he was so pumped up on rage and adrenaline that their attempts hardly fazed him. He was like a madman, a predator on the prowl, as he continued his assault on Tig, trying to get all of his frustrations out on him. The Mayans, Maria… the baby. It was all too much for him.

"Jesus Christ, Happy, that's enough!" Vegas moved in on his traveling companion, trying to grab his arm with little success. His efforts to break up the fight were rewarded by an elbow in the face courtesy of the killer. The blow took him off guard and he stumbled back and into a table, the only thing that stopped him from falling on his ass. Shaking his head, Vegas made for Happy again and grabbed him at the waist, hauling him off and away from Tig with Opie's help. "What the fuck, man? You trying to kill him or what?"

"Asshole deserved it."

"Right." The big man scoffed. "It wasn't his fault, Hap. He didn't deserve a beating."

"Nah, he's right." Tig shook his head and wiped a bit of blood from his lip. "I deserved it. Maria was my responsibility, I should've kept her safe."

"You're damn right, you should have." Making his way past a reluctant Vegas, Happy stared the bloodied man down before going to the bar. He got two beers out of the fridge and then sat down heavily. Opening one bottle, he took a swig from the amber liquid before laying his head in his hand.

Vegas and Tig exchanged glances before Tig sat down next to the man and opened the other beer.

"Look, Hap." The Charming biker held the cold bottle against his face, relishing in the soothing effect it had on the bruises already starting to form. "I'm really sorry about what happened to your girl."

"I know, Killer." Taking another pull from his beer, he nodded in the blue-eyed man's direction. "So am I."

That's how Clay found them when he entered the clubhouse a half hour later. He cocked an eyebrow when he saw Tig, a grin forming on his lips.

"You got a makeover, Tigger?" The president looked at the other two men and shook his head. "Courtesy of Happy, I presume."

"We had some… issues to resolve."

"Well, you done with that or should I look for a new Sergeant?"

Nodding, Happy thumped Tig on the back. "I'm done. Now…" He twisted around on the stool and looked Clay in the eyes. "…when do I get to kill some Mayans?"

"We're just about to figure that out." He gestured toward the Chapel. "Gather your shit. Church meeting in ten."

"Look, you can't just bust down their bar and demand for Alvarez to give up the pricks that went after Maria. He probably doesn't even know who she is." Jax took a drag from his cigarette and looked Happy in the eyes.

"Aye, he's right. This was about Tig, not the girl." Chibs nodded and leaned on the redwood table. "She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"That 'wrong place, wrong time' bullshit is not flying. Doesn't matter if they were targeting Tig or not. She's still the one laying in that hospital bed." Looking around the table, Happy's gaze settled on Clay. "Retaliation for Tig? That's just a bonus for me. The shit that happened to Maria? Heads will be rolling for that one. The assholes that did it are dead men walking."

"I hear what you're saying, brother, I do. And you'll get your revenge, but we gotta be smart about this. That attack wasn't about the girl, and it wasn't as much about Tig as it was about the club." Running a hand over his head, Clay sighed. "This is war and half-cocked just isn't the way to go. As much as I want to kill the pricks responsible, we also gotta nip whatever ambitions those wetbacks have in the bud. Digging a few graves along the way is inevitable." Smirking, he looked at the killer. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." Lighting a cigarette, Happy smiled. "As long as I'm the one providing occupants for those graves you're talking about, everything's fine."

"We take them down, whole fucking MC." Tig spoke up, rocking back on his chair. "You're right, this is war. Kill or be killed. We off Alvarez and his crew, put an end to this problem."

"And you think that'll be all?" Bobby shook his head at him, a grim look on his face. "What happens when someone else takes his place? Nah, that would just make things worse."

"Then what do you propose, oh all-knowing one?"

"We take out their Oakland heroin factory." Juice's voice was hard as he said it, his eyes focused on the President.

The whole table turned to look at him, surprise written on every face. He'd been silent the whole time, the thing with Maria taking its toll on him. He was the one that had taken everything the hardest, since they were as close as two people could be. A silence descended on the bikers, every person mulling over the suggestion. Jax was the first to speak up, supporting the Prospect's words.

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Taking a drag from his cigarette, he blew the smoke out and explained his view on things. "That's why all of this started in the first place, right? The Mayans were pushing their business on Charming. We take out the factory, we put a stop to that shit. They'll stop selling their stuff in town because they won't have anything _to_ sell. Slow down the heroin trade, get a message across to the assholes. Put a stop to the bullshit they're doing."

"Okay, I like that idea. We need to take a vote on this thing?" When the occupants of the room shook their heads, the charter president nodded. The sound of the gavel hitting wood echoed around the room, solidifying the decision that was made. "Now… you got a plan figured out, Prospect, or was this stroke of genius a one time thing?" Clay smiled at Juice, waiting for his answer. The kid wasn't the smartest when it came to anything that wasn't electronic, but he had to give it to him, this wasn't a bad idea.

"Oh, I got a plan alright."

* * *

Sitting on his bike in front of a hospital smoking was not the way Happy liked spending his afternoons. Busting heads, playing pool, drinking himself into oblivion, or drowning in nameless chicks - those were what he did best.

He never thought he'd find himself in this position. The thought that she was carrying his baby, that he was going to be a father, terrified him. If she was awake, he would have to face her and accept the situation he was in. He wasn't entirely sure he was ready for that. Hell, he wasn't sure he would _ever_ be ready for that.

Shaking his head, Happy lifted himself off the bike and snorted. What was he, a fucking pussy? He stubbed his cigarette on the sidewalk and walked across the parking lot, entering the hospital. He rode the elevator to the third floor and got out, making his way to Maria's room. His hand hovered over the door handle for a few moments before he snatched it away and went to sit in one of the plastic chairs in the hallway. Yeah, he was a pussy.

His whole being was screaming at him to get out of here, get on his bike, and drive as far away from Charming as possible. He just knew that the moment he set foot in that hospital room, he would be a goner. He was going to get in there, look into her pretty eyes, and say things, make promises, that he was certain he couldn't keep. She just had that effect on him. And as much as he wanted to just get away from the hospital and the town, he knew he couldn't.

He was so deep in thought that he missed the opening of the door opposite him and the biker that exited the room.

"You gonna sit there all day?" Kozik startled him out of his reverie and grinned, delighted that he'd caught him off guard. No one ever caught Happy off guard.

Looking up at him, the tattooed man shook his head. "Nah." He stood and turned away from his friend, ready to walk off. "I was just leaving."

Kozik rolled his eyes and thumped him on the shoulder. "Just get in there and see her." He moved down the hall as he made his way to the elevator. "It won't hurt you, Hap. I promise."

Watching as the big man disappeared from view, Happy turned back to the room at the end of the hall and approached the window. He could see an elderly nurse inside, fluffing Maria's pillows, propping her up, and fussing around her. His girl laughed at something the woman said, and her smile tugged painfully at his heart-strings. She used to smile like that at him too.

Seeing the nurse exit the room, the biker took a step back from the window and faced her, a question in his eyes.

"I'm sorry dear, but visiting hours are over." The old woman watched as a small frown marred his features and gave him a gentle smile in return. Patting him on the shoulder, she winked, her eyes twinkling. "But if you promise to keep it down, you can go in. Just for a bit though."

Happy thanked her and pushed the door open, ignoring her mutterings about 'young love'. Leaning against the door frame, he smirked at Maria, taking in her surprised expression.

"Only been here two months, and you're already getting into trouble."

Giving him a small smile in return, she laughed softly as she tried to avoid getting choked up. "Yeah, well… you know me."

Maria couldn't believe he was here, in her room. She thought she'd seen him when the old nurse had taken her leave. He had been there looking through her window one second and was gone the next. She'd chalked it up to the drugs the doctors had given her. And then the door had opened again, and there he was, leaning against the door frame in all of his tattooed glory. It was just too much, seeing him again combined with everything that had happened the last few days. A few tears slipped down her cheeks and she hastily brushed them away, sniffling.

Stepping fully into the room, Happy took a look around. He couldn't stand to see Maria cry, so he focused his attention on the cards which were propped next to several vases of flowers on the window sill. Settling into the chair beside the bed, he kept silent for a few moments as he reacquainted himself with the woman that had been his world only two months ago. Her face was a bit rounder, her breasts fuller, and her stomach noticeably larger. There was certainly no doubt that she was having his kid.

"Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?"

She froze, surprised they were starting so far into the conversation.

"I… I wanted to," she replied nervously after a pause. Twisting her fingers around her blanket, Maria took a deep breath and looked up at him with watery eyes. "I was going to, I really was. And then you..." They both vividly remembered the ill-fated day that their relationship had been shattered. "All that stuff you said. I got scared."

"You think I'd hurt you?" His eyebrows furrowed as he tried not to get angry at himself. "Mia, I'd never lay a hand on you, I swear. All that stuff I said-"

"I know," she said quickly, wishing she knew how to voice the thoughts in her head more carefully. "I know that... now. At the time, it was such a shock, although I guess on some level, I sort of knew what was going on. I mean, I had to have known. I think I was just in denial." She spaced out for a second as she tried to think back on her state of mind prior to the rather traumatic event of their breakup.

"And now?" She blinked as he spoke, missing his train of thought. "Still hate me for what I do?"

"I never hated you, Hap." Maria tried to put as much conviction as she could into the statement, to get him to understand what she was feeling, what she had always felt. "I could never hate you. Believe me, I tried. It would have made all of this so much easier. But I couldn't."

"Even though you knew I was a murderer..." he said quietly.

The idea of that still made her cringe a bit, but her talk with Tig had settled some of the doubt in her mind. "I hated that. For ruining how I saw you. For ruining us. And yeah, it scared me. It still kind of does." This surprised him, the lack of total disgust and outrage at this part of him, and it showed on his face. "You've had a lot of people fighting in your corner. Trying to explain to me why you do what you do. And I didn't really get it until I talked to Tig."

Happy suddenly felt kind of bad for the earlier beat down he'd given the man. Not only was it an absolute shock that Tig had delved into that part of his life with the woman, but the idea of him having any sort of heart-to-heart was rather astounding.

"He basically said you do it to protect the club. You kill people that are a threat... to protect the ones you care about."

"Exactly. Just like I'm gonna kill the fuckers that put you in this hospital bed." He said it with such a calm certainty that Maria's eyes shot up from the spot on the blanket to stare at him.

"Hap-"

"No discussion. If you end up hating me for it, fine, but they're dead regardless."

She watched him watching her, both with so much to say, but lacking the words. "I don't want you to end up in jail over this."

"I won't. We'd be going after these guys anyways. They're trying to move drugs through Charming, and we can't let that happen."

Maria nodded reluctantly, knowing that nothing she said could change his mind. Happy always did what he wanted, what he thought was right, and nobody could ever tell him otherwise.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I was pregnant."

Happy sighed and moved the chair a bit closer to the bed, taking one of her hands in his. He felt obligated to make things right between them, since part of him felt that this situation was entirely his fault. But what the hell was he supposed to say? Everything was overwhelming him to the point of sheer exhaustion, so he decided to just start talking and see where he ended up. "It was probably a good thing that you didn't tell me you were pregnant a few months ago. I've never thought about having kids before yesterday. Hell, I don't even like kids! I can't be a dad. I don't know shit about parenting."

"Happy…"

"No, just… just listen." Shaking his head, he silently pleaded with her not to interrupt. He was ready to make an exception for her and talk about his feelings, the least she could do was hear him out. "I'm no good for a kid. I would... completely fuck up its life. I didn't exactly have a good role model back in the day. I'd probably be as shit at it as my old man was for the five seconds he showed up. The best thing I can do is to help you get as far away from me as possible. You can make a new start for yourself and the baby. I'm not what you or this kid need."

"I figured you would say that. I know how much your life in Tacoma means to you and how a kid would mess it up. That's one of the reasons why I left." Silence reigned in the small room as they processed all of the information that had been thrown out.

"I can make sure you get the cash you need to start over."

"I don't want your money, Hap." Maria sniffed and retracted her hand away from his, choosing instead to once again play with the blanket in her lap.

"It's not a question of want, Mia. You need help getting settled down and I can give you that, if nothing else."

"Fine. If that's what you want, then you help me get on my feet and we go our separate ways. You go back to your life, and I can start mine with a clean slate."

"It's a deal." They nodded and fell silent again, wondering how to end the conversation.

"I'm sorry all of this happened," Maria said quietly a few minutes later, looking down at her hands as a small smile formed on her face. "I was having a lot of fun before this shit started."

Happy laughed hoarsely as he thought back to their nights together. "Yeah. Me too, babe."

"For the record, I don't think you'd be a shit father though." He looked up in surprise, the statement a total contradiction to most of their conversation. "Not now, you've made that clear, but later on, if you ever decide to settle down. I mean, you're so good with your mom, even from two states over. You make sure she gets her pills, that she's eating right." This really caught his attention, and he sat up straighter in his chair. "What, you think you were being sneaky with your secretive phone calls? Not even close, darling." She watched him affectionately as he ducked his head slightly in embarrassment at being caught, the Happy she fell in love with shining bright in the dimly lit room.

"I was just checking up on her. It's not the same thing as raising a kid," he mumbled, looking down awkwardly at the worn leather on his vest.

Maria rolled her eyes as he brushed off the meaningfulness of his actions. "It's sweet." Happy snorted, knowing that word had rarely ever been used in a sentence involving him. "It is. And some day, when you're ready, you might shock the world with your parenting skills." He grunted again, but gave no response in the hopes that it would end this godawful conversation. "Well, except for Gemma and V. They'll swear they knew all along how fantastic you were. Seriously, how much did you pay them to say all those nice things about you?" She grinned as he looked at her with wide eyes.

"The fuck you talkin' about? All I've heard the past two months from everybody is what a total idiot I am for letting an amazing woman like you run out on me."

"Well, I am sort of amazing. And you didn't _let _me do anything..."

The old familiarity of their relationship seemed to fall into place effortlessly despite the fact that they had just officially called it quits. They both missed the comforting presence of one another, but neither were willing to break the good terms that they had ended on to push the subject further.

They had a plan, and that was that.


	22. This Is War

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **Sorry in advance if this seems rushed, but we don't care much for writing the act of retaliation itself, and thus it turns out kind of... bad. Our sincerest apologies on that, but we hope you enjoy it nonetheless! One more chapter to go after this!

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
Chapter 22: This Is War  
**"_Get ready to settle the score.  
__And get ready to face the floor.  
__'Cause it's time to remember it.  
__This is war and it's on tonight,  
__So get up and fight."  
_- "War" by Sick Puppies_  
_

**July 22****nd****, 2002  
****Charming, California****  
**

The next day, the clubhouse was a flurry of activity as bikers from various charters had arrived throughout the afternoon at the request of Redwood's president. While only a handful of men would actually be getting their hands dirty that night, reinforcements would be needed should the Mayans feel immediate retaliation was in order. The club's closest family and friends had also been moved to the confines of the Teller-Morrow Automotive lot, whose fences and heightened security detail would keep any unwelcome visitors out.

The occupants of the now slightly cramped quarters included the biker queen and a recently-discharged Maria, who was starting to get nervous about her first lock-down as the sun began to set. She had parked herself in a chair minutes after arriving and hadn't moved since, due to both her increasingly fatigued state of health and for fear of getting in the way.

Never had she seen so many bikers in one clubhouse, all armed to the teeth and ready for battle. Gemma had tried to fill her in on the details of what was happening as they had picked up some supplies earlier in the day, but she could hardly make sense of it all. Apparently it was a turf war long in the making that had been escalating in recent months, and now the Sons were looking to end things for the time being.

It was all very complicated, and Maria just hoped she would be free to go back to her apartment and sleep in her own bed very soon. Just as she had begun to doze off, Gemma appeared in her line of sight looking uncharacteristically sympathetic.

"The guys are leaving. Thought you might want to be out there."

Maria nodded with a yawn and eased herself out of the chair. Following the older woman outside into the dark, she could only chuckle as the crowd seemed to part as Gemma moved through the lot. They headed towards the group of bikers preparing to ride, which consisted of Clay, Happy, Juice, Tig, Opie, Vegas, and Kyle.

"Don't even try to talk me out of going, Mia," Juice said just as she got within earshot.

"Wouldn't dream of it," she replied with a shake of her head, knowing how committed he was to the plan he'd created. "But please be careful. And don't do anything stupider than usual. And don't get arrested."

"You give me this same speech every time I go out with the guys," he said with a smile.

Smacking him on the arm, she replied, "Well, if you would just 'go out with the guys' like a normal group of people, maybe I wouldn't have to." They both laughed, then he gathered her up in a hug that swept her off the ground. She giggled as they spun around a few times. "Okay, okay. Keep it up and this baby will come flying right out."

Juice immediately stopped and set her back on her feet with a sheepish grin before leaning down and patting her stomach. "We can't have that, can we, Carlos Junior?"

Maria laughed loudly, attracting the attention of a few of the nearby bikers. "Oh, there is no way I'm naming this kid '_Carlos Junior_.'"

"Hey, I think it's catchy."

"Of course you do."

She turned to continue her goodbyes, but was stopped as Juice yelled, "Well, it's better than Happy Junior!" She could do nothing but laugh and shake her head as she moved down the lot.

And that was how she arrived in front of the previously mentioned man, with a smile eight miles wide and a light that had been missing from her eyes since her arrival in Charming. It was like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, since she no longer had to worry about hiding her pregnancy or the inevitable reaction from the man now standing in front of her.

"Hey," she said softly, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jean shorts.

"Hey," he replied with a small smile of his own as he turned towards her. "Glad to see you up and about."

"Well, I'm glad to _be_ up and about."

Both of them were highly aware of the fact that a majority of the lot's occupants were trying to inconspicuously watch them as though they were getting the conclusion to a crazy season finale cliffhanger.

"You gonna give me the usual speech?"

"Nope. I trust you. Just be careful." She paused momentarily as he nodded his head, then continued with an afterthought. "Oh, and stop making Fish take care of _your_ dog. You know those two don't get along."

Happy laughed slightly and replied, "I'll think about it." He couldn't help a slight look of surprise as she hugged him like she always did before he left, but he nonetheless returned the embrace. "Bronne!" he yelled, startling the audience that had forgotten to be discrete. "Come 'ere." The pair separated as the Tacoma treasurer jogged over. "Don't let her out of your sight," Happy said sternly, pushing her gently towards the other biker.

Maria rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the smile on her face that formed with the knowledge that he hadn't changed a bit since the last time they'd been together.

Bronne gave him a salute and wrapped an arm around the woman's shoulders. "What have they been feeding you?" he asked her playfully as she began to lead him towards Vegas. "You're as big as a goddamn house."

Happy shook his head as the pair walked off, trying to convince himself that Bronne was a suitable candidate to watch over his girl for the next few hours.

"That's it?" He turned to see Juice looking at him with indignation and frustration. "That's all you have to say to her?"

Happy was kind of amused by the anger that was forming on the young man's face, as it rarely ever made an appearance. "We've been over this, Juice. She's not staying."

"Yeah, because you told her not to!"

His amusement faded as people around them began to stare in curiosity. "Keep your voice down." He moved closer to Maria's best friend and tried to add a note of sympathy to his voice. "Look, you told me it was her idea to leave. If that's what she wants, then I'm not gonna tell her otherwise."

"But you could at least suggest that she stay in Charming. It's still out of your way, but near people that she cares about."

"Why don't _you_ suggest it to her then?"

"'Cause she doesn't listen to me like she does you. Would you please talk to her about it?" Juice pleaded, hoping the man would be at least a little supportive of the idea.

Happy seemed to think it over for a few seconds before he turned back to the van. "It's not my fight anymore. You'll have to talk to her yourself."

Juice groaned in annoyance and threw his hands in the air. "Dammit! You're being such an idiot!"

The Tacoma biker whirled around at the insult, intent on making a vicious reply, but found that the other man had already stormed off.

"He has a point," Tig said calmly as he joined the conversation. "You_ are_ being an idiot."

Happy could only answer with a growl as they were joined by Clay. "You gentlemen ready to go?" The men nodded in response. "Good. I need you two to be on your best behavior. Understand?" He asked, pointing a finger at both of them as they nodded again. "I know you want revenge and everything, but stick to the plan. No running off by yourselves. And don't kill anybody." This last statement was directed at Happy, who had no choice but to nod obediently.

Only time would tell if he'd actually be able to follow that order.

* * *

It was nearing ten o'clock as two black vans approached a rundown warehouse surrounded by a fence on the outskirts of Oakland. The men were all eager to get started with the mission of blowing the Mayans' heroin business to hell. They could only hope this would weaken the gang enough to keep them down and out for awhile.

The lights mounted outside showed a total of six guards patrolling the perimeter, all armed with large guns. A few surveillance cameras were posted at various points around the building, but nothing overly high-tech. To be such a vital part of the Mayans' drug business, they didn't seem to care much about protecting the factory.

"Hap, Tig, I want you guys to take care of the four guards around back. Think you can do that?" The pair nodded at Clay eagerly, a fierce gleam in their eyes. "Don't kill anyone!" he whispered loudly as they began their stealthy trek to the building.

"No promises," Tig replied with a smirk as he pulled his gun out and followed after the Tacoma killer.

Shaking his head at all of the ways this could go wrong, Clay turned back to the rest of the group. "Kyle, you're with Ope in case he needs help setting up the fireworks. Vegas, Prospect, you two are with me. See if we can't find anything useful in this shithole before we blow it up." The crew nodded in understanding, then turned to watch as the guards went down silently one by one. "That's our cue. Watch your asses. There are probably more guys inside."

They crept to the chain-link fence and through the hole made moments ago by Tig and Happy, who were nowhere to be seen. Creeping around the corner towards the side door, Vegas held up a hand to stop the group as he continued forward to knock out the last of the guards.

He motioned them forward as he made sure the coast was clear and they entered the building. Walking down the main corridor led them to two men playing cards, which were quietly dealt with by Juice and Kyle.

They encountered no others on their way to the main section of the warehouse, which contained the actual machinery used to make and process the drugs. Clay motioned for Opie and Kyle to get their work done and the pair complied, heading towards what looked to be the central part of the equipment. The remaining three Sons started exploring the various doors off of the main room, hoping to find a stash of something worth stealing.

Meanwhile, Happy and Tig were still outside, standing in front of three newly-unarmed Mayan guards who looked anything but pleased to be backed against the wall with nowhere to go.

"Were any of you involved in running a truck off the road two days ago?" Happy asked huskily, his favorite gun trained on the head of the closest man.

When nobody answered, Tig punched the one sitting on the end right in the nose. "He asked you assholes a question. Which one of you ran me off the road? Was it you?" He aimed his nine millimeter at a particularly mean looking Mayan with tattoos on his face. The man responded by spitting at the Son before grinning devilishly as he continued to remain silent.

"I'll take that as a yes," Happy said before putting a bullet right between the man's eyes, the sound somewhat muffled by the silencer on the end of the weapon. "Anyone else?" No one answered once again, afraid they would be the next to die if they opened their mouth.

"Either you'll end up like him," Tig motioned to the cooling corpse with the tattooed face, "or you'll be like that guy," he then pointed to an unconscious and bloody man, the first guard to have the misfortune of meeting the bikers. "What's it gonna be?" Happy gave no chance to pick an option as he shot them both point-blank, putting a bullet into the fourth man just for good measure. Tig whistled as the final body slumped lifelessly against the wall. "Clay is gonna be so pissed."

Elsewhere in the building, the Sons were very pleased with the treasure they had found in a storage room near the back of the warehouse. In total, they had acquired a few crates of miscellaneous handguns and a stack of cash amounting to almost eighty grand. Not a bad haul considering they only had time to search a fraction of the place.

"Kyle, Juice, go get the vans. Prospect, back yours up to that bay door over there so we can load this shit. V, figure out how to get that door up. Kyle, take your van and go find Hap and Tig. I have a feeling we'll need to get rid of some bodies." They nodded and the three went their separate ways to complete their designated tasks. "How's it coming, Ope?"

"I still need at least five more minutes."

"What's taking so long? I thought you said this would be easy."

"You want a big bang, don't you? Big bang means lots of explosives."

Clay sighed at the extended time frame, but said nothing more and began to move their cargo towards the now-open door. The vans arrived a minute later with Tig and Happy settled in the passenger seats and presumably a few dead bodies in the back.

"How many did you morons kill?" The charter president asked hesitantly, knowing the answer wouldn't be what he wanted to hear.

"All of them," the Tacoma biker growled in response, not making eye contact with anyone as he picked up a crate and placed it in the back of Juice's van.

"Of course you did." Clay rolled his eyes, then froze as the faint sound of sirens became audible. "Looks like we missed one."

Happy pulled his gun from the waistband of his jeans and headed into the hallway, intent on killing every last Mayan in the building. The remaining men quickly loaded the last of their new toys into the van, the other already full of dead bodies.

"Ope, we gotta go now. You done yet?"

"Give me two more minutes."

"Opie..." Clay looked at his watch impatiently, not wanting to play cat and mouse with the police any longer than necessary.

"Go without me. Just leave a van and I'll catch up. I'm almost finished."

Running his hands through his short graying hair, he nodded reluctantly and sighed. What should have been an easy job was now becoming a serious problem. "Kyle, I want you to be outside with the van running and ready to go. As soon as Ope is done, get the hell out of here."

The young biker's eyes grew wide as he heard Clay's plan, not liking the fact that he was the one to stay behind and potentially be thrown in jail. "But the cops will be here any minute."

"Well then you better hope he can rig an explosive faster."

Tig yelled for Happy to hurry up, and he appeared a few seconds later looking bloodier than when he left. The group piled into the van full of dead bodies, leaving the vehicle with the freshly-stolen merchandise behind as the getaway car.

"Go start the van, Kyle," Opie said to the newly-patched biker, who heard nothing but the sounds of the police as they got closer. "Kyle!" The man jolted out of his trance and jogged to the vehicle, hands shaking uncontrollably as he tried to get the key in the ignition.

It took Opie another few seconds, but he finally got the wires connected as the sirens became almost deafening. Seeing the flashing of red and blue lights as they came into view of the building, Kyle panicked and threw the van into drive before hitting the gas pedal and flying through the fence. He fishtailed onto the maintenance dirt road that they came in on, leaving the arriving police and his brother in the rear-view mirror.

"Fuckin' prospect! Never should have patched in that little shit." Opie lit the fuse and took off on foot, heading in the opposite direction of the cop cars. He could only hope that the large explosion would distract them and give him time to make a safe getaway into the trees.

The boom did distract them, but not long enough as they began to surround the place. The biker skidded to a stop as a police car nearly ran him over, lights flashing and sirens blaring their warning. Uniformed officers began to pour out of the cars, guns pulled and shouting instructions.

"Oakland Police! Get down on the ground!"

Opie raised his hands above his head and sighed in defeat before slowly lowering himself onto his stomach, groaning when he felt a knee slam into his back as an officer cuffed him.

"You're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law..."

* * *

**Authors' Note Number Two: **Hope that was decent enough revenge for you guys. We're sure some of you wanted more gory details and carnage. We'll try better next time, promise. We wanted to stick to the timeline of the show as much as possible, so this would be when Opie gets put away for five years and Kyle's betrayal of the group, in case you didn't notice that connection. :)


	23. Leave Your Life and Ride

**Disclaimer: **We don't own Sons of Anarchy or anything related to it. Any characters you don't recognize are our own creations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental. The title of the story was borrowed from the novel "_High Heels and Dirty Deals - Globetrotting Tales of Debauchery from a Binge-drinking Nymphomaniac_" by Brett Tate. We do not own any music used in this story. All music is credited as it is used. We make no profit from this.

**Authors' Note: **Well guys, this is it. Again. We're sort of glad Ffnet took down the original version of this story. It forced us to do the re-vamp that we'd always wanted. Hopefully it's a little better now than it was before. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed, both old readers and new ones. We hope you all enjoyed the story!

Make sure to read until the very end. There is some information at the bottom that we're sure y'all will want to know about. Until then, we hope you enjoy the final chapter of High Heels and Dirty Deals!

* * *

**High Heels and Dirty Deals  
Chapter 23: Leave Your Life and Ride  
**"_If I told you you were right,  
__Would you take my hand tonight?  
__If I told you the reasons why,  
__Would you leave your life and ride?"  
_"Ride" by Cary Brothers_  
_

_**August 10**__**, 2002  
**__**Chino, California**__**  
**_

Twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven. Breathe in, breathe out. In… out.

Opie grunted and did another push-up, trying to block out the sounds coming from the other prisoners. He had been stuck in a six by eight cell at the Oakland County jail for the past week waiting to be transferred to Chino. The thoughts running through his head were driving him mad. He couldn't go to sleep at night if he wasn't physically exhausted. The events leading up to his conviction kept flashing through his mind, and all he could do was continue with his push-ups.

"_He's gorgeous." _

_Opie glanced up and smiled at Gemma, looking every bit the proud father. Running a finger along his newborn son's cheek, he kissed his wife on the head and nodded. "Yeah… Yeah, he is." _

_Moving away from the door, the matriarch made her way further into the room and dropped the large teddy bear she was carrying in a chair before going to stand next to the hospital bed. Donna had given birth the previous day, the healthy baby boy currently laying in her arms bringing enormous joy to everyone. _

"_How you feeling, honey?" The biker queen smiled at the mother, taking in her tired but content expression._

"_Exhausted." Donna laughed and passed the infant to her husband. "I had a great night's sleep after the birth, but I still feel like I was hit by a truck." She looked at Gemma and grinned. "A huge truck."_

"_Yeah, well, he's a big, strong boy." Glancing at where Opie was standing by the window, rocking the baby and quietly speaking to him, the older woman let out a laugh. "Just like his daddy."_

Forty-three, forty-four…

"_Ope, please don't go." Donna looked at her husband worriedly and rocked the fussing baby in her arms, trying to shush him. "I have a bad feeling about this. Just stay here with us."_

"_I can't, Donna. You know I have to do this. The club needs me."_

"I_ need you! Look, even Kenny doesn't want you to go. Please? Just this once."_

_Opie shook his head and embrac__ed his wife, giving her a kiss first and then kissing his crying son on the head. "I have to go. I'll be back later."_

_The distressed woman clutched at his cut, trying to keep him with her. "Promise me." She looked him in the eyes, the same ones he shared with the baby. "Promise me you'll be safe."_

_He kissed her one last time before turning towards the door. "I p__romise. I'll be back before you know it."_

Another push, another grunt, another memory.

"_Oakland Police! Get down on the ground!"_

_Opie raised his hands above his head and sighed in defeat before slowly lowering himself onto his stomach, groaning when he felt a knee slam into his back as an officer cuffed him._

"_You're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law."_

Sixty-seven, sixty-eight, sixty-nine…

_The stocky officer that was interrogating him banged his fist on the metal table, frustrated beyond belief. Taking a deep breat__h, he composed himself, trying once again to be nice._

"_We know you didn't work alone. Now give us what we need to get your buddies, and we'll reduce your sentence. You'll be in and out like that!" He snapped his fingers in front of Opie's face and continued trying to make him turn on his friends, on his _brothers_. "You'll be back in Charming and with your family in no time. I bet your wife would appreciate that. You'll see your daughter, your newborn son."_

_Putting his elbows on the table and leaning forward, the biker locked eyes with his interrogator. "I told you, I worked alone." He wasn't giving up the club. No way._

_Getting up, the officer made his way to the door. "You wanna take the fall, that's fine with me. I would've loved getting your buddies, but one is more than enough." He stopped before exiting the room and smirked in the Son's direction. "Good luck at your trial, tough guy." _

Eighty-two, eighty-three… Sweat covered his whole body, but he refused to stop.

"_Order!" The judge banged her gavel and tried to get all of the bikers in the courtroom under control. When they all quieted down, she put her glasses on and looked at the prisoner. "Harry Winston, you've been arrested for trespassing, breaking and entering, and arson. How do you plead?" _

_Opie got up along with his lawyer and looked at the judge. "Guilty." He heard a sob the moment that word passed his lips, and he turned his head a little, seeing Donna. She was sitting between Gemma and Maria, both of them supporting her frail frame. Her eyes were red and puffy, and she had tears sliding down her cheeks. He turned to the front again, waiting for his punishment._

_The judge sighed and shook her head. "I hereby sentence you to ten years in prison, with right to parole after the fifth. You will serve your sentence in the California Institution for Men in Chino. Court dismissed." _

Banging at the door to his cell startled him out of his reverie and he looked over his shoulder. Seeing his jail cell being opened, he got up and wiped his face, moving to the bed.

"You've got a visitor."

Opie put his shirt on and stepped out, letting the guard pat him down. Protocol. After that was over and done with, he was led out of the cell block and towards the visiting area. Looking through the bars, he could see Jax sitting at a table, arms crossed and gaze downcast.

"You've got twenty minutes."

He nodded at the guard and made his way towards his visitor, not paying any mind to the heavy doors that closed behind him. Stopping in front of the table, he waited for the man to look at him and nodded his head in greeting.

"Jax."

"Hey, brother." The Vice President got up to hug his childhood friend, then sat down in the cold, metal chair on one side of the table. "How've you been?"

Opie lifted one of his eyebrows, letting out a brief laugh. "I'm in jail. How do you think I've been?"

Jax gave him an apologetic look. "Come on, man, I didn't mean anything by it. We're all worried about you. Me, the guys, mom… Donna."

Sighing when he heard his wife's name, Opie nodded his head solemnly. "Yeah, I know." He looked at the prisoners around him, talking to wives, sisters, mothers, and his heart clenched a bit. "How's she doing?"

"She's… coping." Taking a few pieces of paper from the inside pocked of his cut, the blond man slid them across the table. "Mom and Maria are with her all the time, helping with the kids and stuff."

"Tell them thanks for me, yeah?" The bigger man looked down, picking up the photos his friend had brought him. "He's so big." He breathed out the words, his gaze not moving from the first picture.

Donna was sitting in an old rocking chair, their son in her arms. Her hair was tucked behind her ear and she was looking down at little Kenny, a radiant smile on her face. She had a few more worry lines and looked exhausted, but that didn't detract from her beauty. The baby was yawning, with one tiny fist rubbing his eyes and his other hand reaching for his mother's hair. They were both gorgeous and Opie cursed his circumstances.

Flipping to the next photo, he smiled again. Donna was grinning at his daughter Ellie. The little girl was holding her baby brother, standing proud in front of the camera. He was missing them terribly already. The next five to ten years were going to be hell.

The third and last picture was of his little family, Gemma, and Maria. The Latina was holding the baby, and all of the women were crowded around her smiling. Hugging her mother's legs joyfully, Ellie showed off a toothy grin to the camera.

Opie let out a gruff laugh, looking up at his companion. "Thanks, Jax. I appreciate these."

"You're welcome. You'll be out soon, though, so you won't need them for long."

"Yeah." The imprisoned man snorted and shook his head. "If it wasn't for that punk Kyle… We shouldn't have patched him in. He doesn't have what it takes to be a Son."

"He's out." The blond man's eyes turned cold, his expression hard. "Excommunicated. "

"You stripped his patch?"

"Of course. Did it as soon as we found out what happened. April decided to stay in Charming with the kids though."

"Good move. That douche didn't deserve her anyway."

"Winston!" Opie looked at the guard standing near the doors, motioning for him to exit the visitors area. "Your time's up. Come on."

Rising from his chair, he looked at the man across the table. "Thanks, Jax. For the pictures and everything you're doing for Donna."

"Don't worry, your family is taken care of. You don't have anything to thank me for. That's what we do." He nodded at his long-time friend. "Just look out for yourself while you're in, okay?"

Making his way to the guard, Opie looked over his shoulder for the last time and nodded. "I'll see you soon, brother."

* * *

"What do you mean you forgot?" Maria shouted into the phone as she paced around the apartment. "Juice, I reminded you yesterday that I had an appointment this afternoon."

"_I know and I'm sorry_," he replied, hardly sounding apologetic. "_Some stuff came up at the garage, and there's just no way I'm gonna be able to get off to take you._"

She made a noise of frustration, then signed in defeat. "Whatever. I'll just call Gemma-"

"_No, no. Don't worry. I got it all figured out for you. Someone should be there to pick you up any second._"

"Juice-"

"_It'll be fine. Trust me_."

A knock echoing through her apartment halted any chance of an argument, and she went to open the door. To say that she was surprised to see the tattooed Tacoma biker standing uncomfortably in the hall, hands shoved into his jean pockets, would be an understatement. In retrospect, she should have seen this last-ditch attempt at getting them to talk coming from a mile away.

"You're _such_ an asshole," she said coldly to Juice, waving a hand nonchalantly at Happy as he looked at her in confusion.

"_Gotta go. Play nice_." Juice's excited tone as he hung up made it clear that this was his plan all along.

Rolling her eyes, she closed her cell phone and smiled at the man in her doorway. "Hi."

"Hey. I'm guessing Juice didn't tell you I was coming."

"Nope. He just loves to keep me guessing. But it's fine. Let me just get my bag."

"Right. Where am I taking you anyways?" Maria stopped mid-turn, silently cursing Juice in her head for not telling him the details. "He just asked if I could pick you up since you haven't had a chance to get a new car yet."

"Uhm, it's an appointment with the OB... for the baby."

"Is everything okay?" he asked with a hint of worry.

"Yeah, the baby is good. It's just a check-up. I've had a few since the accident just in case. The doctor wants to make sure everything is still working like it's supposed to."

"Oh... well that's good."

"You know what, I can just call Gemma. You don't need to take me."

"No, it's okay. I don't mind." He ran a hand across his head awkwardly. "Besides, I borrowed her cage so you wouldn't have to ride on the back of my bike."

"Well, you can just drive me to the garage, and she can take me from there."

"I can handle it, Maria. Now hurry up and get your stuff. You don't want to be late."

Sighing reluctantly, she picked up her bag and house keys before locking the door behind them and heading to the stairs.

The ride to the hospital was filled with basic small talk and the occasional bout of silence. Maria was glad that they had managed to remain amicable in the days since his arrival to Charming. She had always imagined a dangerous feud would occur should they ever meet again, but it was quite the opposite. It was almost as if they had never been apart, save for the baby now added into the mix.

It made her really miss their old life back in Tacoma. The thought of having an abortion crossed her mind again, but she knew things would never go back to the way they were, even with the baby gone.

Arriving at the hospital a few minutes later, Happy parked the car and shut it off.

"You can wait out here until I'm done," Maria said as she opened the door to get out. "I totally understand you not wanting to come in."

"I'll walk you upstairs," he replied, exiting the car as well. "I can just sit in the waiting area."

"You sure? I'm completely capable of going by myself."

"Yeah, but just my luck, the elevator would get stuck and you'd go into labor or something."

She pinned him with a look as she hoisted her bag higher on her shoulder. "And what exactly would you do to help the situation if you were there? Have you been taking child delivery classes in your spare time?"

"How'd you guess?" he asked sarcastically and paused just outside of the automatic entrance doors.

Maria stopped inside and watched his hesitation sympathetically. "Hap, you really don't have to come in."

He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. Going inside would solidify the fact that Maria was really going to have a baby. It would completely ruin his ridiculous theory that she was just eating too much junk food and getting fat.

It made everything so real.

"I'm fine," he finally said and stepped into the hospital. They made their way up to the maternity ward on the fourth floor, and Maria checked in at the front desk. Happy watched a woman only a few months into her pregnancy and her husband as they waited in chairs. Both of them were smiling joyfully and discussing how they were going to decorate the nursery as they looked through a magazine for first-time parents.

"Hey." Maria placed a hand on his arm to get his attention. "You want to sit down?" He nodded slowly and the pair joined the other couple.

"Oh my goodness!" the wholesome woman in her early thirties exclaimed. "You are so beautiful. How far along are you?"

Maria smiled and laid a hand on her stomach. "About twenty two weeks."

"You must be so excited, _dad_," the husband said to the biker with a wink. Happy sat in stunned silence, having no idea how to respond. Thankfully, he didn't have to as the doctor chose that moment to walk into the room and call their name.

"Maria, it's so lovely to see you again." Doctor Christian Hodge cheerfully pulled her in for a quick hug as the pair approached him. "And who is this lovely gentleman?" he asked with a raised eyebrow as he took in her companion's appearance.

"This is Happy, my uh... baby daddy. Hap, this is Doctor Hodge." The killer's only response was a grunt and a slight nod.

"It is such a pleasure to finally meet you, Happy," Christian said with a hint of sarcasm and a bright smile. "Well, come on back." He motioned for the pair to follow him down the hall. "Let's go take a look at the youngster." When Happy made no move to join them, the doctor turned and looked at him expectantly. "Well come on, _dad_. Don't you want to see your kid?"

The man stood where he was, his brain refusing to put any words together as yet another person referred to him as a parent with complete and utter confidence. Thankfully, Maria came to his rescue. "We're not actually together anymore," she said quietly, sending a soft smile to the tattooed man. "He just got roped into driving me today."

Christian sighed and closed the distance between Happy and himself. "Son, let me give you a little piece of wisdom I've picked up. Every father that refused to go in and see their flesh and blood on the screen has regretted it. Doesn't matter if you're going to be in the kid's life or not. I think you should see this."

The two men stared at each other for what seemed like hours, one set of eyes hard and steely, the other kind and knowing. Maria could only stand to the side and watch as Happy finally relented with a nod.

With a smile, the doctor turned and led the way down the hall. Happy leaned down towards Maria, keeping his eyes on the man in front of them. "Who the hell is this guy? Did they run out of lady docs or something?"

She rolled her eyes and looked up at him incredulously. "Afraid I'm gonna run off with my seventy year old obstetrician?" He aimed a glare in her direction as they entered an exam room. "Relax, he was Gemma's OB." She smiled and patted him on the chest before hopping up onto the table. Happy got situated on a stool in the corner, putting as much distance between himself and the monitor as he could.

"Alright, let's take a look at the little angel, shall we?" The doctor set up the ultrasound machine and had the picture on the screen within a few minutes. "There it is. Seems to be as healthy as ever." Maria breathed a sigh of relief, thankful the crash hadn't done any damage to the baby. "Would you like to know the gender?"

She thought about it for a moment, then nodded her head excitedly. "That would be great."

He moved the adapter around on her stomach to get the best view, then smiled triumphantly as he saw what he was looking for. "That is without a doubt a boy."

Maria grinned with watery eyes, elated at the news. "My very own little hellion," she whispered softly as she stared at the monitor. "What do you think, Hap?" When she got no answer, she turned her head to look at him.

Happy was sitting with his elbows braced on his knees and his head balanced on his hands, his eyes glued to the image on the screen. He said nothing, merely watched as the baby moved.

"I'll just leave you two alone for a few minutes," the doctor said as he froze the picture on the monitor for them to see and put the rest of the equipment back on the cart before exiting the room.

"Happy?"

He got off of the stool and slowly walked over to the monitor, placing himself in front of it. He held his hand up to the image on the screen and compared the size of his palm to the baby. "It's so tiny. He... he's so tiny. Holy shit." Maria watched on silently as he marveled over the picture. "That's not mine... can't be mine... Why aren't you freaking out?" He turned momentarily to look at her, waiting for a response.

"I freaked out four months ago, I promise."

He moved his attention back to the monitor, bracing his hands on either side of the ultrasound cart and resting his forehead against the screen. "A fucking baby... " he whispered hoarsely, not moving from his position. "Do you think he'll turn out like me? Some coldblooded asshole that kills people for a living?"

Maria smiled sadly and silently moved off of the bed to stand behind him, resting a comforting hand on his leather-clad back. "If he's even half the man you are, he'll be damn lucky. Because you're honest and loyal and you're willing to do anything for your brothers. Even kill. But you're a good guy. I don't regret anything that happened between us."

He finally broke his gaze from the image of his unborn child and looked down at her. "But what if I regret letting you leave? What if I wake up in six months and I'm just as angry and confused as I was a few weeks ago? What if I'm supposed to make you stay?"

"You're not _supposed_ to do anything. You do what you _want_ to do." She tilted her head and stared at him curiously. "So what do you want?"

Happy stood there in silence like he had many times in the past hour, once again at a loss for words. He had never really stopped to ask himself what _he_ wanted. It had always been "_What's best for the club_?" and "_What does the club need_?" Rarely was he ever concerned about what it was that he wanted.

"I want to be happy," he replied simply with a shrug of his broad shoulders. "And the club makes me happy." Maria could only nod in response, knowing he would say something like that. "But for the year that I spent with you, I was happier than ever. And I don't know what it is, but you make me so fucking happy. I don't know if it's because you're so damn hot, or because you can cut right through all the bullshit, or maybe just 'cause you don't see me the way the guys do."

"I don't want you to feel obligated to be a part of this baby's life in any way. But I also don't want you to keep doubting your decisions about it. If you don't want to be involved, that's fine. The club comes first and I get that."

"Yeah, the club is my family." He stared down at her growing stomach, trying to imagine what the baby would look like in a few months. "But so are you... and so is he."

"Hap, if there's some part of you that wants to be a dad, nobody's stopping you. I just assumed... that you wouldn't want him."

"A year ago, I would have said that you'd assumed right, no question. Now? I don't know anymore. Look at me though. What the hell kind of father would I make?"

"The kind that takes his infant son on a motorcycle ride even though his mother has repeatedly told you not to?" They laughed and he nodded his head in agreement. "How about we just take it one day at a time? I can stick around for a few months, at least until the baby is born. You can see how you feel then."

Happy shook his head, tempted by the offer but knowing it wasn't the best solution. "That isn't fair to you or him."

She shrugged slightly, trying to open an option that wouldn't scare him off. "Well, you two not getting the chance to meet also wouldn't be fair. Besides, what else have I got to do? I can barely see my feet as it is. Might as well stay in one place until this little demon makes his appearance."

He watched her closely, eyed the way she sat lightly on the bed, her gaze kind and understanding despite the situation. It was some kind of miracle that the two of them had gotten involved with each other in the first place. And now they were getting the chance to bring a life into the world, to raise their own flesh and blood. He would never get another shot at this, he knew that for a fact. He just didn't have it in himself to pass up the opportunity, as scary as it was.

"I think I'd like that," he said quietly, smiling softly down at her.

She grinned widely in response, hardly believing how the dreaded afternoon had turned out. This scenario had only ever happened in her wildest dreams, and even though she knew there was still a long way to go in repairing what they had, this was certainly a giant step in the right direction.

"One condition though," he added, barely able to contain a smirk as she looked at him expectantly. "We are _not _naming this kid Juan Carlos Junior."

Maria laughed and closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around his torso and leaning her head against his chest. "I think I can agree to that."

Happy wrapped his arms tightly around her shoulders, breathing in the scent of coconut shampoo that he'd missed dearly in their time apart. Despite all of the questions and uncertainty for the future, this felt undeniably right. He felt complete.

Besides, he killed people for a living. How hard could raising a baby possibly be?

**The end.**

* * *

**Authors' Note #2**: Well, that was it! We're officially done with this story. We hope you guys enjoyed the ending, so let us know what you thought. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing and sticking with us through the long update process. To answer a few questions you might have:

_What's the deal with Hap's speech?_ If you didn't catch the deeper meaning, we were basically trying to focus on the battle between "Happy" the man and "happy" the emotion. The club is what makes him Happy; it's what he knows, what he is, and what he wants, or thinks he wants. Maria on the other hand makes him feel; she brings that emotion into his life in a new way and makes him happy. And obviously the whole story was about Happy dealing with his split personalities and him trying to find a balance. The ending is basically his way of saying that he's going to try and make the two sides work together.

_Is there going to be a sequel_? As you might have noticed, there are several one shot companion stories already posted. Our idea was that there were lots of gaps within the story and obviously in the future of Hap and Maria's relationship. So we write little one shot events of various moments in their life. There's a timeline in our profile that tells you the best order to read them in. That's the sequel, of sorts. There probably will never be a large sequel, unless the next season is insanely inspiring. But if there is an event that you've always wondered about, or a conversation you wanted to see, or any other idea you have, feel free to leave it in a review or PM us. It can be a broad idea or super detailed, either is fine. The only rule is that it needs to include either Happy or one of the OCs (Maria, the baby, or a Tacoma biker) or any combination of those. Examples we have written down include: babysitting misadventures, Maria and Hap have a fight, meeting Mama Lowman, etc. We won't do them all, hell we may not do many more because our inspiration is minimal at the moment. But we never know when the desire to write will hit us, so we'll see.


End file.
